Naruto: The Crimson Blade Chronicle
by Unlimited Blade Works
Summary: Slight Bleach crossover. "Nake Benihime" the crimson light tore across the clearing cutting through the shuriken and Mizuki like paper. Now the crimson princess will sing in the hands of Naruto Uzumaki. Strong but not godlike and he will work for it.
1. Prologue

**Naruto- The Crimson Princess and the Moon on the Water**

**Prolouge**

**The Fox, Crimson Princess and The Flower in the Mirror and the Moon on the Water**

Hi everyone Unlimited Blade Works here, this idea just wouldn't leave me alone so here I am writing my first and most likely last Fan Fiction. Firstly I will be the first to admit this story probably belongs in the Naruto and Bleach cross over section. However to me a cross over is something that takes the characters, landscapes, personality's and most importantly plot and blends them together. Which I both lack the competency, will and most importantly enthusiasm to do.

This will be Naruto with bleach elements thrown in I will be mostly following Cannon but will throw in the occasional original story arc. I do intend to add the Naruto movies in as well but I'm still trying to figure out where they fit in time line wise. That being said this is a fan fiction so I can take some liberty's with that I suppose. Another thing this will be a Harem story I won't lie I enjoy reading them and it lets me add more characters that I like to appear on a more regular basis.

That being said I will not being including HINATA, SAKURA or INO I am sorry to those who like the pairings but I have just seen them so many times I have lost all love for them. Moving right along this is a pilot chapter which more or less means that I am putting it out to see your reaction and based on that will choose to continue or not.

If you have managed to read this far thanks for putting up with my long intro I will take requests for the harem but I am limiting it to no more than five people. So keep that in mind also ONE vote per person any who suggest the above pairings will be disregarded. Also please PM for harem additions, constructive criticism is welcome.

**DISCLAMER-** I do not own Naruto, Bleach or any other anime, book, Tv show or other referenced within this fan fiction.

**PLEASE READ- **I have horrible grammar so please bear with me.

**STORY START**

_When the war of the four beasts brings about the world's end  
The goddess descends from the sky  
Wings of light and dark spread afar  
She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting_

Urahara Kisuke was a cautious man after all being on the run from the Gotei thirteen and Seireitei will do that to a person. That being said it wasn't that bad after all his closest friend had left with him as had the Kido corps commander, though that latter hadn't had a choice in the matter. His personality had also improved he was no longer as shy as he was over one hundred years ago when he first took up the mantle of the twelfth squad captain of the Gotei thirteen.

He figured his relaxed nature was because of all the human interaction that he had been part of. Since he had been banished though he did miss Seireitei occasionally. The people, not the paperwork dear god not the paperwork getting out of that was almost worth getting banished for. After all paperwork was the one enemy even a captain could never hope to defeat. He just wished he'd gotten a chance to burn it all before he had been forced to flee so it could never harm another innocent soul again. Or better yet somehow get it so that Aizen had to do it all,sweet Kami that would have been priceless.

He was sure even the man who had single almost handedly almost bought the Seieritei to it's keens would have hated that with a passion. Let it never be said that Urahara Kisuke could not be petty at times, which brings us to his current predicament the fact that the always happy and smiling Urahara Kisuke had a frown on his face.

Something that was never scene outside of battle, unless paperwork was involved the bane of his existence that it was. The problem was that Urahara Kisuke was dying, not that he was complaining he had lived a long and happy life, the sealing of Aizen being the highlight. Even if he never discovered the secret to defeating paperwork, he knew it was out there somewhere he just needed to find it so he could save generations from it's evil curse.

He had outlived all he had called friends Issin Kurosaki, Ichigo, Karin, Yuzu, Yourichi, the Vizards, Tessai, Jinta, Ururu, Soi Fon hell even Old man Yamamoto kicked the bucket before him. Not that he was anywhere near Yamamoto's age, he was sure living that long would have driven him crazy. Though with everything that has happened to him it was debatable if he was still sane. Then again more than one person would have argued that he hadn't been sane to begin with, he wasn't prepared to bet against that either.

The subject of his thoughts at this moment was one thing his greatest creation, even if it took a monster to finish it and his greatest mistake. The Hogyoku in the six centuries since the battle he still had not found a way to destroy it. Perhaps Aizen had said it best "_Reason exists for those who cannot go on living without clinging to it. Now let's go... to the edge of reason._" He was inside the realm of reason while the Hogyoku was outside of it and just as a two dimensional being could never interact. With a being that exists in three perhaps that was the reason he could not destroy it because he existed in a different sate to that of the Hogyoku.

'My only real option left is to seal the Hogyoku again' but he wasn't a fool you could only hide something for so long before it was found. Even if he did find a place to seal it away until he was long dead it would only delay the inevitable. Eventually it would resurface and bring pain to the world who knows maybe another man who believed himself to be god would get his hands on it again. That was the last thing the world could ever need another Aizen.

The old Shinigami sighed the other bitter truth that was slowing wearing away at him was that the Shinigami as they were. Are fast becoming a dying breed, give or take another thousand years and none would be left by his estimate. Even though he had been banished and even though it was lifted had no intention of going back to Seieritei, that was still a bitter pill to swallow.

As there was no way a dying race could destroy the Hogyouku but his other plan was to hide it somewhere and hope really hard no one finds it. Not exactly up to his usual brilliance he sighed once again looking at the picture on his mantle a photo take just after Ichigo had regained his powers and they were all in full party mode.

"I'll be joining them soon enough" he muttered he sighed again thinking of his options he had about three or four years worth of life left in him not a lot by anyone's standards. The gears in his brain began to turn there was one plan that could work but it relied on so much dumb luck it was unthinkable. That being said it wasn't like he had any better prospects, he sighed Benihime was not going to like this not even one bit.

**Time Skip- Two years later**

Urahara smiled the seal he had made was working slowly but surly it had been siphoning off and storing replications of all he knew of Zanjutsu,Kido,Hoho and Hakuda. Today was the day it was finally ready, six months ago there had been a large disturbance of spiritual energy. Since then no Shinigami or Hollows had been sighted around the world, Urahara had known from the second it had happened what was going on, the beings called Kami, gods were cleaning house.

In all honesty though the soul king was the linchpin that the stability of the three dimensions. Seireitei, the human world and Heco Mundo by regulating everything. Even he had people above him and those people had decided enough was enough, honestly the beings called Kami or god's could have ended the war between Shinigami, Hollows and Humans long ago. They chose not to do so, letting their creations fend for themselves, not that, that should be too surprising after all. Almost every holy scripture in the world said that man denied the bliss of ignorance for free will. In exchange for that the gods or Kami no longer interfered in the three world affairs content to simply watch.

It seemed that after seeing a mortal challenge them that they could no longer just sit by and watch. Urahara sat and watched as the spiral in the center of the Kido array glowed red, he smiled as he pulled his long time partner from his walking stick. Then spoke her name for the last time "Okiro Benihime" his sword changed he could feel the swords sadness as it mirrored his own. He smiled one last time before putting his hand on the array "Fuinn" he shouted causing the cave to tremble at the shout. The array glowed and moved as if alive coursing up his Benihime the array glowed a bloody red one more before being fully adsorbed and disappeared taking his Benihime with it.

This was it his last gamble, his last plan the seal array was made to do two things and two things only. The first was to adsorb a replica of all his skills in order to be taught to another, the other was to take his Benihime to another who could surpass reason and finally destroy his greatest mistake. He sighed as he felt life leave him he supposed he shouldn't call her, his anymore. After all she would bond to another becoming a new Benihime only she would have knowledge of his skills as instinctual as an Arrancar would know theirs.

Urahara smiled as he died and turned to dust his last thoughts were wondering if Yourichi would be mad at him, the woman could hit when she wanted to. His last words were a curse to the bane of his existence, not the Hogyouku, not Hollows hell it was not even directed at Aizen. His last words cursed only one thing the evil known only as paperwork.

**Time Skip- 300 years later**

The world could change a lot in three hundred years not that that should surprise anyone really after all human's thrive on two things. The first is change the second is war three hundred years after the death of Urahara Kisuke humanity finally did it. They destroyed themselves for the most part in atomic fire. From the ashes of the wastes new civilizations arose from the humans that had survived in the millions in great under ground vaults. The radiation slowly changed them giving them new ability's but eventually as is the nature of humans this civilization also burned to the ground.

So life went on thousands of years passed and the ability's of humanity's ancestors matured and got stronger as the broken world repaired it's self. In time people began to use the energy they called Chakra a power given by a man who many worshiped as a god. The Sage of Six paths, but even in his lifetime Benihime did not stir.

**3000 years after the death of Urahara Kisuke.**

The Yondaime Hokage stood atop the toad boss Gamabunta and starred down the Kyuubi the ninth and greatest of the bijuu. The toad boss was worried "**Minato**" the boss toad grunted looking up at the blond that sat atop his head. "**Your not going to be coming out o****f this alive are you?**" he questioned.

The Yondaime mearly smiled. "Nope sorry Bunta, looks like this will be the last we will be seeing of each other huh?" The great toad merely shook his head before chuckling, he knew there was a reason he had liked this kid.

The toad bosses mouth curled into a smile " **Well then"** he yelled bounding straight to the Biju "**Let's give you one hell of a send off then kid.**" The Yondaime smiled just like Bunta if he couldn't live though the battle then the old toad would send him off with a bang. See as the opponent was the Kyuubi, it was going to be one hell of a send off.

As the distance closed the Yondaime Hokage made his last hand seal "Shiki Fuuin" He yelled the death god behind him dragging the kyuubi body and soul into a small blond child. He smiled one last time at the child he and Kushina would never be able to see grow up and wished him both health and happiness. The letter that he left Sarutobi should have his last wish that Naruto be seen as a hero for-filled. After all the people of the village hidden in the leaves were the kindest he knew they would honor his last wish he knew it. So the Yondaime died his only regret the same as his wife, that he wouldn't get to see his son grow up and a quick curse on all paperwork.

In the void between world Benihime stirred in her slumber and merged with the soul of the one who could surpass reason. Dwelling inside Naruto Uzumaki as he would be known until she was truly needed.


	2. Chapter 1

**Naruto: The Crimson Blade Chronicle**

**Chapter One: Wake Up, Crimson Princess**

First up this is more of a filler chapter than anything as I am just trying to fill in a bit of time before he go's to the academy. That being said it does contain one plot point so please don't just skip. Finally should the Uchiha Clan be alive, wiped out or did Itachi spare some people besides his arrogant ass of a brother . Just add your answer to a review and I'll work it in. Okay enjoy.

Okay five reviews and four hundred and thirty nine total hits since last night. I'm going to take that as the Pilot chapter was fine so here's chapter one for you. But first something I just feel needs to be addressed.

**Tstoldt:**** I think you are going with Naruto being a pseudo reincarnation of Kisuke**

Thanks for saying that, it lets me get this out of the way now. Naruto will not be a pseudo Kisuke. He will retain most if not all of the personality that he had in the manga. Only be a bit more adult as he had someone to teach him outside of Kakashi. Not only that but him being a pseudo reincarnation of Kiskue would be kind of pointless.

After all Kiskue's plan was to give Benihime to the one who could finally surpass reason and exist in the same realm as the Hogyouku . So that they could destroy it and as for making it Naruto, Anko or adding her, that's not a bad idea at all.

Finally This Fic will include bashing to an extent, early versions of Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi will be bashed. Saskue because he was an asshole at the beginning then got better. Before doing a complete one eighty and going back to being an asshole. Sakura because her early version didn't do anything helpful at all. Leaving everything up to others but still always belittling Naruto despite the fact that he did more than her. Finally Kakashi, lets face it he was not the best sensei ever I get the feeling the favoritism probably wasn't part of it. I think the counsel had some hand in why he payed so much attention to Saskue but even then he was not the best sensei one could ask for.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"**Demonic Speech"**

**Story Start-**

**Night of the Kyuubi's attack**

Sarutobi Hiruzen newly reinstated Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato was not having a good day first the Kyuubi attacks. Destroying his village then they lose the greatest hero that Konoha has ever known the Yondaime Hokage, Minato Namikaze. He sighed, before his heart clenched in grief Biwako his wife had been killed by the nine tales in the attack.

The Yondaime had however left his legacy behind a small baby boy. He actually looked a lot like his father already minus the whisker marks of course. It was hard to believe that the small child was all that stood between Konoha and the nine tales. Sarutobi rubbed his eye's he was to old for this.

"So Sensei this is Minato's legacy huh?" The deep voice sounded behind him. There was only one person that would call a small child that. Even if that small child was in the Hokages office.

"Yes Jiraiya, that's him" he pointed to the small crib in the corner of the room. The large white haired man walked forward his wooden geta clicking on the hardwood floor. The baby was sleeping peacefully, surprising considering that he was screaming his lungs out less than two hours ago.

"Hmmm" the large white haired man just looked at the child "Naruto, huh" his face was an unreadable mask. "It's not much but it's all I can do for you right now. Take care of yourself okay kid" Jiraiya placed a toad wallet in the crib before turning back to the old fire shadow.

"After this were going to have problems, you know that right?" he asked the Hokage.

Sarutobi nodded "From Kumo first probably, the third Raikage was always the most militaristic of the Kages. He will probably send a few spies to test our defenses and get information. Iwa will be a close second, after all they hated Minato and will most likely want confirmation of his death." Jiraiya nodded he had come to the same conclusion.

He looked back at the child again "Take good care of him Sensei" he asked turning away to leave. Sarutobi Hiruzen the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha just nodded as the last and the only. Still loyal member of his genin team left via the window. He would have asked Jiraiya to take care of the boy but they would need his spy network in the years to come. He shuddered to think what could happen to the child. If Iwa heard Jiraiya of the Sannin was travailing with a blond haired child the poor boy wouldn't have lasted a week.

The Sandaime Hokage squared his shoulders before walking to his office would have to tell the council about Naruto being the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi they needed to know. He just hoped that the last wish of the Yondaime was followed. It was times like this that he wished that the hidden villages were military dictatorships, but unfortunately that was only true in war time. He sighed now he was going to have to listen to greedy civilians argue about money...joy, he would almost rather be doing his paperwork, almost.

**Time Skip- Seven years after Kyuubi's attack.**

Naruto Uzumaki knew the back streets of Konoha like he knew the back of his hand, or Kakashi knew the plot of every Icha Icha Paradise. That was precisely the reason he knew he was in trouble, the day was October tenth the day of the Kyuubi festival to celebrate the Yondaime Hokages killing of the beast. Normally he would be hiding, not in his apartment, people broke in to that place all the time but he was still grateful to his Jiji for getting him an apartment.

No he normally hid on one of the less used ninja training grounds in the village, after all. No one likes getting call a monster or a demon on their birthday. But he could put up with that but usually once a month a group of villagers would beat him and he would try to get away, keyword try. But it was always worse on his birthday for some reason the group was always larger and far more violent than the other months. Even those people in the funny masks took longer to find him.

His small feet pounded on the pavement of the back alleys as he got further away from the lights of the celebration. This normally would have been fine, except for the fact there was a large group of people following him. He could hear them yelling Come back here monster, You killed my family or the ever classic Die Demon. When he was younger if used to ask why this was happening to him but that only made them angrier. So he did the only thing he could, ran faster.

He dashed around the corner and his eyes went wide, the dead end of the alley staring him in the face. He saw a trash can near by and dove into it clutching his tiny hands over his mouth in a vain hope to stifle his breathing. Sinking lower on the trash can he listened as the mob got closer and turned the corner. One of the dumber ones voiced the obvious question "Where the hell did he go?."

The Alley was sparse the only thing in it was trash and a trash can. The mans lips curled evilly before nudging the person next to him. The man smiled and edged closer to the trash can, a figure dropped from the roof top. The bear masked ANBU faced the mob "You are in violation of the Hokages laws and shall all be punished appropriately." he said evenly. The man behind the mask smirked "Or" he continued, "that's what I would be saying if my team was here right now." the mob just looked at him in confusion. The bear masked ANBU operative pulled his sword out of it's back sheath and pierced straight through the trash can. At the side of the alley, though the mob and the ANBU couldn't see it the sword blade that came out of the trash can was covered in blood.

Naruto Uzumaki was ecstatic one of the people with funny masks was going to save him. He only caught the blur that followed the movement as the man turned around before a he felt nothing but pain in his stomach. Naruto looked down cold steel was through his stomach he could see he's own blood pooling at the wounds opening. With a sound like water splattering over rock the sword was removed he knew that sound would haunt him. He did the only thing that he could, he screamed.

xxx

Inside of Naruto in a hidden place deep, deep inside his subconscious lay a perfect replica of Kohona. On a bed a young woman with crimson hair had slept away the last few years since their joining. Eyes opened perfectly crimson irises, the woman smiled her partner needed her. The crimson princess opened her mouth and began to sing. With both joy at finally meeting her partner and sorrow with what he had been through, the crimson princess that had slept through the ages had finally awoken.

xxx

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandiame Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato, had for once in his long life finished the bane of the Kages. His paperwork early, but he couldn't seem to find it in him to rest, not even the smutty goodness of Jiraiya's Icha Icha was helping. The instincts inside him that had pulled him through countless battles, and three great ninja wars were on fire. Something was happening, something big, but just out of sight you knew it was coming just not what it was. So the aged fire shadow was sitting on top of his tower as the festival went on below.

Chakra spiked he could feel it and it made him sweat. It was Naruto's of that he had no doubt, but it was also different. Naruto's was like sunshine, warm and comforting, something that the Hokage found strange given his life so far. This was similar but at the same time, so different it was unnerving the warm feeling like sunlight was still there but it was laced with so many others. Somethings he had never even felt before it was, warm yet cold, calm but raging cool headed and completely brutal. What worried him the most was the blood lust it exuded like the only thing it came from was only at home on the battlefield. Yes that power absolutely reeked of the smell of blood.

The aging Hokage used shunshin to reach the origin point of the power hoping his surrogate grandson was okay. All he found was Naruto, the surrounding alley was covered in blood what looked like the remains of humans. Or at least what you used to be able to call humans it was hard to tell anymore, when there was no more than a finger in one piece. His surrogate grandson was unconscious in his right hand was a katana covered in blood, red wrapping around the hilt and crimson tassels on the end of it's hilt.

His left held it's sheath black as night with blood red metal tipping both ends. Sarutobi's mouth went dry, from what it looked like his surrogate grandson had just killed upwards of fifteen people. If his eyes did not deceive him one of his own ANBU had been killed as well the old fire shadow shunshin'ed to the hospital. He got the feeling that all the questions about Naruto would only increase as time went on, he also felt like there would be precious little answers.


	3. Chapter 2

**Naruto: The Crimson Blade Chronicle**

**Chapter Two: The Crimson Princess, The Graduation and The Beginning of Hell.**

Well this little side project of mine is going better than expected. Thanks for all the views and reviews you guy's rock.

This extra-long chapter is brought to you by 1500 views of Naruto the crimson blade chronicles. I decided that every time I hit what I like to think of as a mile stone I will do an extra-long chapter as a kind of thank you to the viewers. The next mile stones are ten thousand views or one hundred reviews.

As normal my grammar sucks balls so be aware. Read and review NOW LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD.

Total number of words in chapter- 15 366 compared to my normal 3000 word chapter that's not bad.

**Disclaimer-** I do not own Naruto, Bleach or any other work of fiction I end up referencing.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"**Demonic Speech and Boss Summons"**

"**Jutsu and Attacks"** side note it will only be in bold when actually being used not just talked about.

**Story Start-**

Naruto smiled as he ran though the Forrest on the outskirts of Kohona the forbidden scroll attached firmly to his back. He felt like laughing and jumping for joy Mizuki-sensei was awesome telling him about this make up exam. So what if he couldn't do the stupid clone jutsu if he could take from the Hokage and lean one jutsu from the scroll he would pass. Though he did wonder if it was this easy why they didn't just tell everyone who didn't pass that they could just do this. "This is going to be great, I'm gonna be one step closer to Hokage after this, right partner." He looked down at the sword sheathed at his waist; he still remembered the day he'd gotten his "Partner."

**Flash back five years ago Naruto age seven.**

He groaned as he woke up, white wall the smell of antiseptic yes he was in the hospital. "Kami dammit" he muttered. He hated hospitals the colour scheme alone was depressing enough but it was the eyes of the nurses and doctors that he couldn't stand. Most of them were so hate filled or full of contempt. Unlike when he was out side he couldn't just run away from them he was stuck.

"Oh your awake, are you Naruto?" he turned over to see his surrogate grandfather sitting in the chair next to him a katana cradled in his lap. He loved his surrogate grandfather like a real family and would always pay him full attention. Even if it didn't always look like it, that was why it was strange when he found himself fully focused on the katana on his grandfather's lap.

It was in a word beautiful, the sheath was as black as midnight and held not a single blemish on it not a scratch or chip or even slightly scuffed paint. The guard was perfectly rectangular with a design of flames etched into it. The hilt was covered in crimson wrapping eventually ending in two crimson tassels that flowed freely from the end of the katana's hilt. It really was the most beautiful weapon he had ever seen, but more than that he felt like he knew it. Like he had seen it before but couldn't place quite where like a half forgotten memory.

His Jiji coughed to get his attention, "I see you are admiring the katana Nuruto-kun I agree that it truly is a beautiful weapon." the old fire shadow smiled. He really was glad that his surrogate grandson was okay but he needed answers. That power that was not the Kyuubi and the sword that was in his grandson's hand. There were far too many questions that needed answering though he did get the feeling that Naruto would not be able to answer much. "Naruto, do you remember what happened tonight?"

Naruto seemed to shrink into himself "Some of it Jiji" he admitted his voice low. The Hokages heart twisted no child should have that look on his face. "I was hiding on one of the training grounds when a whole bunch of people showed up. They seemed really angry for some reason so I ran and then they followed. Eventually I reached a dead end and jump into a trashcan they came into the alley but couldn't find me. Then one of those guys in funny masks jumped down and asked what they were doing he seemed really, really angry for some reason." As he want on Naruto's eyes got more and more desolate until what was formally bright cerulean blue became as cold and inhospitable as a glacier. Though the Hokage couldn't help but feel a bit of pride in his ANBU after all the man jumped in to save his grandson. Then again his ANBU Kuma he thought was also dead did that mean it was an outside attack to frame Naruto?

"Then" Naruto continued "He talked to the people for a little while before drawing his sword." The Hokage payed even greater attention what had happened could well be uncovered in Naruto's next sentence. "He put his sword right through the trashcan I was hiding in I remember feeling a pain. In my stomach before passing out. That's all I remember Jiji, sorry if it wasn't very helpful." Sarutobi Huruzen Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakrue no Sato went from pride in his ANBU agent Kuma to disgust faster than an Akimichi go's through Barbeque flavored chips. That one of his ANBU could do that to a child sickened him it almost made him wish. That Kuma was still alive so that he could dish out a more appropriate punishment himself.

They were both silent to Naruto it seemed to stretch on forever until he finally worked up enough courage to ask a question that. From the first time he woke up had been bothering him "Jiji" he started tentatively "Have you shown me that katana before. It feels like I know it from somewhere." Sarutobi looked at him for a second.

"No Naruto" he started slowly "I haven't seen this blade before tonight, it was in your hand when I found you. I was hoping you might be able to tell me more about it." Naruto just shook his head as Sarutobi tried not to sigh. He really had been hoping that he would be able to get more information than that but if that was all then he was right back where he started.

"Uh jiji" Naruto started looking very nervous, which was new to the old Hokage. Naruto never looked nervous.

"What is it Naruto-kun" Sarutobi used his kindest voice. Though he did get the feeling that the request he would no doubt be given. Would both be very easy to fulfill and at the same time make his life at one point or another much more difficult.

Naruto gathered his courage and continued "Um since you found that katana with me would it be okay if I kept it, please." His eyes were hidden behind his hair and he looked vulnerable. Sarutobi thought for a moment on one hand this was the first time Naruto had cared about something enough to ask for it. Discounting ramen or necessitates, which likely meant that the boy felt something special with the sword, not impossible. But given what happened he was apprehensive about giving the sword to Naruto admittedly some of it was the fact that. He knew nothing about the weapon but there was also the fact that he could hurt himself. The old Hokage sighed but Naruto never asked for anything. He smiled it had a hint of deviousness behind it.

"Of course you can Naruto-kun who knows maybe it was left for you as a gift." That sentence was all it took as he saw he surrogate grandsons eyes light up with joy. Sarutobi handed the beautifully crafted katana over to Naruto, before laughing inside. ANBU code name Inu aka Hakate Kakashi was going to love his new mission. The young captain normally declined any missions that involved the blond Sarutobi was sure that part of it was because it hurt him seeing his sensei's son. Especially when the very thing that had killed him was sealed inside the boy. The other part he was regretful to say was probably resentment though that was simple human nature. However Inu was also an ANBU a subordinate that that answered directly to the Hokage so if he orrdered Inu would have no choice in the matter. Like it or not Hakate Kakashi was going be getting acquainted with his sensei's living legacy one way or another.

Xxx

In Yuki no Kuni an ANBU operative with a single sharingan eye felt a chill go up his spine. The young princess on the back of the transport he had stolen felt him stiffen. Koyuki Kazahana the princess of Yuki no Kuni. Kakashi wondered why he felt like his life would be easier if the murdering psychopaths behind them caught up.

Xxx

"Thanks Jiji" Naruto yelled jumping out of the hospital bed to hug the old man he saw as family.

"That's fine Naruto-kun, just remember that that sword is your partner now take good care of it and it will take good care of you." Neither of them saw the sword vibrate in agreement.

**End Flashback**

Naruto landed at his assigned meeting place with Mizuki he was still glad that the silver haired chunin was letting him take the makeup test. Honestly he did not even like the man much but considering that he was giving him another chance that not even Iruka had given him. He was thinking that he should probably change his opinion.

Naruto sighed it was twenty minutes past the deadline when Mizuki was supposed to meet him he was starting to get antsy. "Gahhh" he yelled throwing his hands into the air "What the hell is taking him so long." Naruto sighed before looking back at the forbidden scroll and smiling his whisker marks making him look like a fox. "Well since he's not here yet maybe I should try learning a jutsu or two, just to make sure I pass. What do you think partner sound like a good idea?" he asked looking down at his katana. He knew it was crazy but there were times when he could swear that he heard a voice from his partner. Like a whisper on the wind or a half remembered memory it was there but you couldn't grasp it.

He opened the old scroll 'hmmm' he mused 'Kage Bunshin, no I hate clones, Edo Tesei, hell no it involves a human sacrifice. Alucard what the hell is an Alucard?, Kuchiyose no Jutsu, no I don't have any animals. Gangbang no jutsu what in Kami's name is Gangbang no jutsu, next, Rasengan what kind of moron calls a deadly attack "spiraling sphere".' "Sweet Kami is there nothing in this damn scroll worth learning." Naruto lamented to the sky, before he looked back to the scroll. 'Hello what do we have here Fūton: Shinkūha. The user takes a deep breath and spins while exhaling, compressing the released air into a solitary blade of wind that covers a substantial area around the user, due to their circular motion. The resulting sharpened blast is large enough to slice through multiple targets located a significant distance from the user, causing grievous injuries to those hit.' Naruto's eyes lit up "I think we have a winner" he smiled.

Xxx

Umino Iruka was not what one would call an easily angered man, but between having to fail the boy he had come to see as a little brother. In his Genin exam, then receiving news from Mizuki that Naruto had stolen the forbidden scroll from the Hokage, he was almost at his boiling point. He gritted his teeth as he jumped through the forest of Konoha's northern outskirts looking for Naruto Uzumaki. He didn't know why Naruto would do something like this sure the kid liked to play pranks but he never once stole something. Though that hadn't stopped store owners claiming that he had in the past, even when Naruto hadn't been anywhere near them that day.

Iruka was no sensor type ninja, not by a long shot but every ninja could feel chakra in others to a greater or lesser degree. It was easier if you spent a lot of time around the person in question and Iruka had probably spent more time around Naruto than anyone else. With the possible exception of the Sandaime Hokage, Teuchi and Ayame Ichiraku. It was part of the reason he was so adept at catching Naruto after his pranks. Though some of the ANBU could do it as well though the one's that actually could liked him and let him get away to take the others down a peg. After all there was nothing like being shown up by a twelve year old wearing neon orange to make someone learn the meaning of humility.

That was why when he came across Naruto in a clearing in the center of the forest he wasn't sure what to say. At least he assumed it used to be a clearing with all the gash and tare marks on the ground he wasn't entirely sure. The earth had obviously been hit by some high rank futon jutsu, the kind that was designed to decimate a large area. "Naruto" Iruka yelled his surprise quickly turning back into anger "What the hell do you think your doing?" he yelled. "Stealing from the Hokage especially that particular scroll" he gestured to the forbidden scroll quickly. "Is treason, it's punishable by death." Normally he would be angry but he was now halfway between angry and hysterical he knew the council particularly the civilian half hated Naruto. They would push for the death sentence and considering the scroll Naruto had stolen they might very well get it.

Naruto looked up at his older brother figure with a quizzical look on his face. "But ,Iruka-sensei, I was told this was the makeup exam." he stated looking more than a little perplexed, Iruka stood rooted to the ground. He prayed he had just heard that wrong.

"What do you mean make up exam, Naruto, there is no makeup exam like this. After all a normal academy student shouldn't be able to break into the Hokage tower. Let alone steal something that is considered to be an S rank classified document." Iruka stated slowly making sure that the blond heard and registered every word. From what Naruto had said this was a set up now he just needed to know who and then get them the hell out of here. Before whoever orchestrated this turned up because if they got here before they left then. This small, if torn up, clearing would become the site of a death match.

Naruto was starting to look and feel nervous "But, Mizuki-sensei, told me that if I got the forbidden scroll from the Hokage tower. Then I passed the Genin exam, he said this was the makeup exam and I was being given a chance. Since he and you thought that it was unfair that I couldn't pass just because of not. Being able to perform the clone jutsu, and look he said smiling I already learned a jutsu from the scroll Fūton: Shinkūha" he said proudly.

Iruka's mind did a brief shut down, Naruto Uzumaki the dead last of his class. A twelve year old incapable of doing even a simple Bunshin no Jutsu. Had learned an A rank wind jutsu in under three hours. It boggled the mind how was Naruto at the bottom of the class again? Then his brain caught up with the rest of what Naruto had said. "Wait Naruto" he asked "Are you telling me that Mizuki asked you to do this?" 'Please say no, please say no' his mind chanted this one phrase as he waited for the answer.

To Iruka's dismay Naruto nodded "Yep" he said still looking confused. "Mizuki-sensei told me that if I got the scroll. Then I automatically passed the Genin exam so how did I do Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked still looking confused though a bit of hope and expectation was starting to mix in to his expression. Now Iruka was worried this couldn't be good.

"Naruto" he started genitally "We have to leave now." Naruto gave him a questioning look "Something has happened." Iruka continued "There is no makeup exam that involves the stealing the forbidden scroll. I don't have a problem giving you one but." was as far as he got before the sound of metal cutting the air was heard. Iruka acted on instinct and pushed Naruto down.

Naruto fell and looked up at Iruka wondering why his teacher/ big brother had pushed him down. Before the sickening sound of metal cutting flesh was heard. It was a sound he would never forget, could never forget ever since that ANBU had put a sword through his gut. His teacher, big brother his family was crouching over him. A large shuriken embedded in his back, Naruto felt fear course through him when Iruka's blood pooled around his leg.

"Nice job, Naruto" Came the cheerful voice of Mizuki from above. The silver haired traitor smiled at him, not like a normal smile. This one was filled with blood lust and the promise of a painful death "Now there's just one last thing you can do for me." Naruto pushed himself out from under Iruka, he was hyperventilating and looked like he was about to die of fright. Mizuki pulled another oversized shuriken from his back. "But before that I want to tell you something, I think you'll really enjoy knowing." The smile was beyond sadistic now. "I'll tell you the reason everyone hates you so much." Naruto was rooted to the spot he had asked his Jiji that countless times the only answer he got was always. 'They are ignorant, I hope you can forgive them one day, Nuruto.'

"No, Mizuki" Iruka screamed, his face was a mask of pain and horror, after everything Naruto had happen to him if he heard this now. It would probably break him, Mizuki just looked at him and started laughing. That Iruka wanted to protect a demon was the funnest thing he had ever heard.

"Well, Naruto, you know how the Kyuubi attacked our village twelve years ago right" Mizuki's smile got even wider if that were possible. He was going to drag this out the little demonic bastard deserved it just like it deserved a slow death and he was going to give it one. "The truth is that the Yondaime couldn't kill it that story is a lie. He could only seal it and the person who he sealed it into was you." Mizuki's grin almost split his face, his arm holding the shuriken came back "You ARE the Kyuubi No Yoko, die you fucking MONSTER" he yelled ecstasy seemly penetrating his every word.

His arm came forward and pitched the shuriken straight at Naruto at an area that he knew would kill on impact. This was it today he would take the forbidden scroll to Orochimaru-sama and kill the Kyuubi brat. In the process becoming a bigger hero than the Yondaime Hokage. A position he obviously deserved and all would be right with the world.

Naruto's vision contracted to the point of the whirling shuriken and time seemed to slow down. 'I'm going to die here' he asked himself. 'With nothing worthwhile this, this is where I'm going to die. How pathetic how god damn pathetic. If I'm going to die then, I at the very least need to take the person in front of me and drag them down to hell.'

Time seemed to fully stop for Naruto at that moment the shuriken literally hanging in midair. 'So' came the melodious voice from within his mind. 'I've got a question for you Naruto-kun' the voice asked but there was an emotion inside of it he couldn't place something no one else had ever said to him sounded like that. Yes the voice sounded protective of him, 'Your enemy is by himself and yet we are two not one so why do you fear him?' the voice asked. He couldn't answer only ask one question 'Who are you' the voice seemed to hesitate 'Why don't you know me' it sounded sad 'How can you not know me' it continued 'When I know you better than anyone else ever can. How can you not have heard my name by now, how long must I strain my voice before it will reach you.'

'Naruto' the voice asked now filled with strength 'Do you want the power to stop that man in front of you?' it asked 'Do you need the power to protect yourself and others? Do you want to keep on living even though nothing but pain may await you at its end?' Naruto had been through a lot over the course of this day but even then these questions had only one answer.

'yes' he said smiling, his answer was quiet and small.

'What, I can't hear you, Naruto-kun.' The voice carried a tone of joy to it.

'I said YES' came the answer 'Even if there is nothing for me at the end of this road. Then I'll overcome it because I already decided.' That day when the ANBU put his sword through his stomach flashed before him. His resolve hardening ' I already decided that no matter what I will keep going because unlike the others that believe that they have nothing to live for.' The corpses of suicide victims in the red light district flashed through his mind. 'I refuse to die in a place like this, even if the world is nothing but a barren wasteland I'll keep going because I want to see.' He was yelling at the voice 'I want to see what lies at its end even if I die there. Because I need to see what lies at the end of that wasteland at the end of this endless battlefield.'

The voice hummed sounding content 'In that case, Naruto-kun, let me help you, but first you must listen and take my advice to heart. Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate. Do you understand Naruto now say it, roar my name the heavens.

Iruka saw Naruto's hand go to his katana as the shuriken closed in, his eyes opened in horror. His little brother, Naruto was planing to match that shuriken head on. With nothing but his katana and his determination. "Okiro Benihime" he heard the two words that were whispered as the katana was drawn. Okiro Benihime quite literally meant Wake up, Crimson Princess; the attack that came with Naruto's slash was not something he was expecting. The red light roared across the clearing leaving a deep gouge smoking gouge in the earth. Cutting through the shuriken and Mizuki like hot knives through butter. The silver haired traitor didn't even have time to scream before he died. Iruka looked on in amazement the katana in his surrogate little bothers hands had changed. Instead of an ordinary if beautiful katana.

The sword had become something else the crimson wrapping on the hilt had changed to black though it still retained its crimson tassels. The tsuba had changed to a U shape with a flame like design around the base, A blood red string had been tied around the base of the U shaped guard. With three loops making up the knot finally the blade itself had changed from an ordinary katana to a slightly longer sword around the size of an O-katana a black blade with a silver edge. Iruka saw his little brother trying to stay standing before falling. The last words he heard before Naruto passed out on him were "Never again, I will never back down again."

Inside his mind scape Benihime smiled "Naruto, I am your power believe in me, I know you can't hear me properly, just yet, but let me say it anyway. Since if either of us wants to grow we have to learn to understand each other." Benihime looked over Naruto's inner world from the top of the Hokage tower. Giving her a full view of the sprawling ninja village. A view that's beauty was marred by the deep back rain clouds overhead. "Naruto, I hate the rain. It rains in here, too you know. When you are moody, it becomes cloudy. When you are sad, the rain falls so terribly easily_... _I can't stand it. Can you understand? The horror ofbeing rained on in this solitary world. Knowing that my partner is in pain and until he comes to me I cannot help? In order to prevent that from happening... I'll lend you whatever power you need! If you can trust me... I won't let even one drop of rain fall from that sky! Trust me... you are not alone in any battle... Naruto!"

**Time skip- hours later Naruto's Mind Scape**

Naruto woke up feeling groggy before quickly looking around the room where ever he was it was certainly not a hospital. Whoever this room belonged to liked the colour red that he could say for sure the bed had red silk bed sheets, SILK who the hell could afford something like that. Moreover he could see several Kimono's on the wall all red with black marking's. It was official as of this moment, Naruto Uzumaki, had absolutely no idea where the hell he was.

Benihime smiled she could feel it her partner had just woken up. She gulped nervously and smoothed her kimono she was merciless in battle but she really had no idea. How her partner would react to her and it worried her. She glided down the halls she could feel him moving around already it seemed after waking up he had left. She smiled nervous she might be but she always did enjoy a good game of cat and mouse.

It had been a good fifteen minutes since Naruto had woken up and he still couldn't figure out where the hell he was. The last things he remembered was calling out Benihime and killing Mizuki, oh god he'd killed someone. Maybe the villagers really were right maybe he was nothing but a demon, could really be the Kyuubi nothing made sense at the moment. He stiffened as he felt a pair of arms go around him before relaxing. He didn't know why he relaxed but he had felt this feeling before and he liked it. In Konoha it had been a constant uphill battle sure he had Jiji and Iruka but even if he had them. That just meant that he had some numbers on his side nothing more than that. The feeling that was given off by this person was both warm and gentle. Unlike when he was in Konoha this feeling was telling him on no uncertain terms that the battle was finally over. It was won who ever had him in this embrace would allow no more harm to come to him, the battle was won.

Though he really didn't want to make this person let go he had to see them. Turning around he came face to face with one of the most beautiful people he had ever seen. Slightly older than him seventeen maybe eighteen blood red hair and crimson iris an hour glass shaped body, Her chest looked like high C low D cup. Cherry red lips and wearing a red kimono with black flame design's on it. She looked like a goddess or maybe a princess. Naruto felt his mouth go dry there was no doubt in his mind that this was the owner of the room from earlier and the one who's embrace he felt. "Who are you" he asked in a quiet voice.

The girl laughed one with genuine affection in it something, Naruto, had not heard many times before. "Aww now I'm a little sad" the girl said her voice sounded like she was about to break out in song. "You've been calling me your partner for years. Now you learn my name only today and you've already forgotten it I'm hurt Naruto-kun." The girl mock pouted, "You haven't really forgotten me already have you? Naruto-kun."

Naruto's mouth went dry there was only one thing he called partner. He cast his mind back to the battle with Mizuki, the voice that spoke to him, called him. He opened his mouth before closing it again and looked up at her with trepidation in his eyes. "Could you be Benihime" he asked quietly, the girls face lit up in a smile before hugging him again.

"Yay you remembered me Naruto-kun, I'm so glad I've been trying to tell you my name for years I almost thought you'd forgotten it. She had a giant smile on her face signifying her happiness at being with her partner and conversing for the first time.

"But how can you be a person and a sword" Naruto asked looking confused. Benihime just kept smiling at him before leading him to the courtyard and sitting under a tree he placed his head in Benihime's lap.

"Well that's actually easy to answer" She said brightly. "I" she said proudly "Am a Zanpaktou, a sword whose form and power are linked to my users soul. The reason that we can talk now is that you were able to hear my name in the real world and give me access to bring you here." She finished brightly, Naruto, couldn't help but feel special she seemed so overjoyed to meet him.

Naruto looked at her strangely "I know you're not lying, but how do I know that?." The crimson princess smiled at him.

"I'm part of your soul" she said simply "You can't lie to your own soul no matter how much you may want to."

Naruto nodded and relaxed more as Benihime started brushing her fingers through his hair. He couldn't tell how long they stayed like that. "So" Benihime asked cheerfully "Do you want to learn how to wield me?" Naruto nodded she was his partner he wouldn't dishonor her by being a sloppy or ineffectual wielder. Benihime's smile almost split her face "Excellent" she said clapping her hands. Before turning serious "Listen well Naruto" she started. "Learning to use me will be both long and hard but you want to see it right? What lies at the end of that wasteland?" Naruto nodded, Benihime smiled again.

"Okay then I'll give you a quick rundown on what will be learning then shall we" her voice sounded bright and happy. "To start with will do Zanjutsu and Hakuda then as you progress we will start on Kido and finally Hoho, Understand?" Naruto nodded but had to ask a question.

"That's fine" he started "But, Benihime, how do you know all these things to start with?" Benihime's face contorted for a second.

"I don't know" She admitted "I just do maybe it's something all Zanpaktou know instinctively" she offered but didn't sound convinced.

"Would you like to start now" Benihime asked politely. Naruto looked at her strangely, as he gathered his thoughts. As weird as everything was right now there was one question that was bugging him.

"Benihime" he started trying to figure out how to phrase his question "How...will I improve if we can only train in the mind scape?" he asked. It seemed like a fair question to him after all he was inside his own mind. How would he improve his ability's here? Muscle memory was arguably the most important part of any form of hand to hand combat or Kenjutsu. By repetitively doing something hundreds then thousands of times your body got used to the action until it became instinct. Naruto wasn't the smartest person in the world that he would readily admit to; he knew he was no Shikamaru. But he did listen at least when the teachers didn't throw him out of class.

Benihime laughed "Tell me, Naruto-kun, how much do you know about muscle memory" Naruto thought about it far a second. Other than it came from years of repetition not that much, Benihime smiled at the look on his face. "Naruto-kun, what most people don't know is that muscle memory is actually a mental function. Not, as most assume, a physical one, you see muscle memory in its basic's is sending a particular signal to you nerves to move your body.

In the mind scape you are doing this but since you are asleep you twitch instead of moving. So even inside your mind scape you can train both your physical abilities and your Reiryouku. Though I don't think you can train your chakra here as it is a blend of both physical and spiritual energy and you just have spirit energy here." Benihime said looking pleased with her explanation, though he was a bit dense through no fault of his own. He should have been able to understand that.

Naruto nodded but now he had another question though he exited about the fact he could train in his mind scape. "Benihime, what is Reiryouku?" He asked never having heard the term before. The crimson princess smiled.

"Reiryouku, Naruto-kun, is the correct name for the spiritual half of the energy known as chakra. Users of Zanpaktou use it in all forms of combat. To enhance their strength in hand to hand combat, too making it flow from their swords as a ranged attack though. Some ranged attacks were more versatile and powerful than others."

Benihime smiled at him "Naruto-kun, remember that even though training here will give you more Reiryouku. As well as the muscle memory necessary to perform both Zanjustsu and Hakuda. Never forget your training out in the physical world, all the strength you gain here will be worthless if you do not. Possess the physical capability to make use of it." Benihime finished sternly. "Any more questions, Naruto-kun?" She asked politely.

Naruto shook his head, Benihime helped him get up "Then lets get started, Naruto-kun," she said brightly. Before walking to the center of the courtyard and throwing him a copy of herself in her sealed form. "Naruto-kun, you used a lot of Reiryouku when you killed Mizuki" Naruto nodded to her, for some reason killing someone didn't feel like such a big deal. Maybe because of Benihime's influence maybe because of the fact so many people had tried to kill him.

In the end he dismissed it, it no longer mattered as he turned his attention. Back to the red haired beauty "You will probably be unconscious for about three days in the outside world." Benihime smiled at him "But that's a good thing, the time inside your mind scape passes differently than in the world outside. For every eight hours that pass outside five days will pass in here." Benihime smiled at him "That gives us a total of forty five day's in here." Naruto nodded looking slightly stunned but could find nothing wrong with her math. "Now then Naruto-kun" Benihime said brightly "Defend yourself" she yelled and charged at him sword in hand.

**Time skip 3 days later (45 from Naruto's perspective. Note 45 days is the equivalent of about one and a half MONTHS. )**

Naruto woke up to an unfamiliar ceiling, the red bed sheets were missing as well where was. Oh right his body must have woken back up, it did feel a little strange not to hear Benihime's voice when he woke though. The princess was always talking, singing or humming it was safe to say she loved music in all it's forms. Not that Naruto was complaining after all she had a lovely voice. He took a deep breath in through his nose, the smell of antiseptic. Check, white bed sheets, check, feeling of being watched by ANBU, double check. Oh joy he was in hospital...again.

He sighed and started counting backwards from sixty. He had felt one of the ANBU leave after he woke up if nothing else his Jiji was a prompt man. Naruto factored in the Shunshin no jutsu and past knowledge the old man should be here in five, four, three, two and one. The door to his room slid open the Hokage stood there and just looked at him before smiling. "I am glad you're okay Naruto-kun" The old man really did look revealed.

"I was just tired" Naruto shot back seemly unconcerned "But I want to know something Jiji" The old Hokage nodded. "Where is Benihime?, where is my partner." He had looked around the room when he woke up and couldn't see her anywhere and was starting to get worried. The Hokage just had an incredulous look on his face. He had been watching the battle if you could call it that through his crystal ball.

'He learns about the Kyuubi' he thought 'and the first thing. He wants to know is where this Benihime person is.' The Hokage's thought processes stopped he got reports on everyone, Naruto, interacted with no one ever mentioned someone called Benihime. "Naruto, who is Benihime" the old fire shadow asked. "I'm sure that you never mentioned anyone by that name to me before." Naruto's just looked at the Hokage for a moment before he burst out laughing.

"I forgot that you don't know her name yet" he said between breaths. He smiled at the Hokage not his normal wide grin just a small genuine smile. Something that the Hokage had seen very few times, he only saw that smile when. Naruto, talked about Ayame or Iruka the two people who were closest to him which confused him even more.

If this Benihime was so special to Naruto then surly he would have mentioned her to him. Though the name, Benihime, meant crimson princess and sounded a bit ominous to him. "My partner, old man" Naruto said still smiling at him, the old Hokages heart almost stopped. The only thing Naruto ever referred to as his partner was his sword. He looked sternly at Naruto before sighing.

"Your katana is not here Naruto" he dropped the normal affectionate suffix that he attached. To the young blond to let him know how serious he was. "I was watching when you fought, Mizuki, you know." The aging fire shadow continued. "I saw the attack that your katana produced, it wasn't normal. Your katana is being kept under lock and key until I can be sure it is safe." He saw the hurt in his surrogate grandson's eyes as he said that. Not that it surprised him Naruto loved that katana more than anything after all.

"Naruto, I know you know about the Kyuubi, until I can be sure that that blade is not connected to it then I can't let you have it. I am sorry Naruto-kun." The Hokage finished, looking back into Naruto's face expecting it to look devastated. Instead he looked happy something he had most definitely not expected to see. After all the first and last person to try and take away Naruto's katana, Uchiha Saskue. Had been sent to hospital the arm he had used to touch the sword required thirty four stitches to fix. That had been a nightmare the civilian and shinobi counsels had both been calling for Naruto's execution that day.

"So then old man" Naruto said still smiling "If I can prove that, Benihime, is not connected to the Kyuubi then there is no problem with me having her?" He asked making sure that he was absolutely clear on what he needed to do in order to get his partner back. The Hokage, just looked dumbfounded and nodded. Unable to believe that his surrogate grandson could speak of the. Demon sealed inside him so easily, Naruto smiled "That Jiji, won't be a problem."

The Hokage's mind started to work again "How do you intend to prove that your katana"

"Benihime" Naruto interrupted.

"Benihime, the Hokage amended "Is not linked with the Kyuubi?" The old Sarutobi took careful note of Naruto's reaction to the word Kyuubi. He didn't even flinch, surprising the Hokage.

"That's easy Jiji" Naruto said, sounding completely confident. Sarutobi's eyebrow raised "You remember what the Kyuubi's chakra felt like right?" Sarutobi nodded again before shivering he didn't think that anyone could forget the feeling of that chakra. "Then bring me Benihime and I'll prove it to you." Sarutobi looked at Naruto for a second before reaching into his robe and pulling out a scroll, after seeing. The destructive potential of the attack used on Mizuki he had decided not to just put the katana in a vault.

But instead keep it on him at all times in a storage scroll, it really was to dangerous to leave alone. Sarutobi wiped his blood on the scroll while channeling chakra into the seal in a puff of smoke appeared Benihime in her sealed state. He also gave discreet hand signals to the ANBU in the room if this was a trick by the Kyuubi. He would be ready for it.

Naruto looked at Benihime's sealed form for a minute before drawing her from the sheath. He could feel her joy at being reunited. He smiled at the blade and spoke "Okiro Benihime" the beautiful katana in his hands. Changed into a completely different form it's energy the Hokage couldn't call it charkra. Felt completely different from the Kyuubi, the O-katana reformed to it's normal appearance. The Hokage looked at him seriously "I think YOU have some explaining to do Naruto-kun" Naruto just smiled at him.

**Time skip three hours and one very long and convoluted explanation later.**

"And that's everything Jiji" Naruto finished now redressed in his jumpsuit. The Hokage had hear a lot of ridiculous over the top difficult to believe things in his life. But this came very close to the top but by the end he had accepted Naruto's story. Allowing his surrogate grandson to keep the katana no, Benihime, he corrected himself.

Now he felt tired so very, very tired. "Jiji" Narutoasked slowly "Since I defeated a traitor and a Chunin no less. Would that be enough for a field promotion to Genin." Sarutobi just sat there for a second before he started laughing.

"You know what Naruto I think it is" In that moment Sarutobi didn't care that the civilian and shinobi counsels were going to give him hell for his. The bright smile on Naruto's face was more than worth both the paperwork and the problems. He waved to the blond one more time before walking out of the hospital.

'All in all not a bad day eh, Benihime?' he asked. His thoughts being transferred directly to her as long as he want to. Talk to her and held her blade. Benihime just hummed in agreement.

**Time skip (God I'm using these a lot) One week later Genin team assignments.**

Naruto was a little nervous as he walked towards the academy his physical appearance was almost the same he wasn't. Sporting overly large muscles or anything not that he had expected to after only a week of physical training. But he felt completely different, mentally he had matured at an astounding rate then again he had been spending. A lot of his time with Benihime when he added it up he'd spent a grand total of eighty days. In his mind scape with the crimson princess give or take a few for actual sleep, thanks to having someone that actually wanted to teach him and already knew. What he was having trouble with he grew fast mentally. It also helped that Benihime had made him promise to take his new job as a ninja more seriously.

To aid in this he had bought new clothes, they were darker like a ninja should wear not bright colours like his orange jumpsuit. A simple black full length shirt with crimson flame designs on it's sleeves black pants and steel toe boots. His look was completed by the white haori that he wore over the shirt with a strange diamond like design on the back with the kanji for crimson inside it.

He was however unable to completely part with the colour orange and wore a sash around his waste in that colour. Comfortably holding Benihime next to his left hip, His leaf headband, with red fabric of course, was tied to his left arm. He sighed and rubbed her hilt and felt reassurement rush through him. She thought he could do this and so he would do this. He arrived outside the door to Iruka's class and walked in.

He was the first one there and so went and took a seat in the back row before slipping out a book from inside his haori. After seeing the old man take Benihime out of a sealing scroll he had gotten interested in the art of fuuinjutsu. He was currently reading up on it in his spare time it really was a fascinating subject originally he had just wanted some storage scrolls. But now explosive tags, seals that could absorb an enemy's jutsu, dear god with all the options. That fuuinjutsu provided he didn't understand why more people didn't use it. He was told it was difficult but he was taking to it like a fish to water and loving every second.

Slowly but surely students began to trickle into the class though he note that Shikamaru was the only one who noticed him. If the slight widening of the Nara's eyes was any indication he was surprised. Naruto just shrugged it off and went back to his book after all it wasn't often that he got enough free time to read it. Then he heard it, not that it was surprising after all it happened almost every class. Unless one of them was sick, shouting was now being heard by the other Genin as they watched the door to the class. With what could only be called apathy well most of them looked on with apathy some of them took great enjoyment in the morning ritual.

Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura slammed open the door to the class all the time yelling at each other to back off. "VICTORY IS MINE" both yelled as they stepped into the room "Shut up pig my foot was in the door first" The pink headed Sakura Haruno snarled the other. "Beat it forehead you and your billboard brow, shouldn't be near. Someone as wonderful as Saskue-kun (I think a part of me just died writing that line) right Saskue-kun." The Yamanaka heiress said fluttering her eyes at the Uchiha brooding in the seat near the window.

Naruto sighed before placing his hand on his forehead and rubbing his temples. Why couldn't they just sit on either side. Of the brooding Uchiha and be done with it would make everyone's life so much easier. Well except Saskue's but Naruto really didn't care about him. Not if it meant that this daily annoyance would never happen again. Normally he would be trying to ask Sakura on a date but over the last week and with all the time. That he spent in the mind scape with Benihime he was slowly starting to lose his crush on the pinkette.

He had started listing her less desirable traits in an attempt not to see her as a perfect person. As a matter of fact one of Naruto's earliest memories was of a woman with red hair a round face and bright blue eyes. Looking at him with nothing but love and adoration, he was sure that this was his first and only memory of his mother. One of the theories that he had come up with regarding why he had a crush on her. Was that her hair colour was close to his mothers of coarse that was all he had theories still it was better than nothing. Naruto went back to his book, they were still arguing when Iruka walked into the room.

"SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP" Iruka yelled using his famed big head jutsu. The class quieted down quickly. "Now listen up, from this day onwards I am no longer your sensei. You are ninja but you are still just genin. Remember you are the lowest people on the chain of command and if any one above you gives you an order. You will follow it to the letter, no questions asked." Iruka was about to go on when he was interrupted by a boy with red markings on his cheeks and a puppy on his head.

"So Iruka-sensei" He started with a drawl "If were the lowest people on the chain of command then. What about the dead last Naruto that didn't manage to pass? Does that mean since he's below us we can give him orders?" Kiba Inuzuka asked sounding positively gleeful at the prospect of someone that had to do what he said. No question's asked, Iruka shook his head at Kiba.

"That would be true, Kiba." He started before he had a full blown smirk on his face "If Naruto failed that is." Iruka finished taking quite a bit of joy at the perplexed look on his students, former students faces.

"But Iruka-sensei" This time the voice came from Sakura sitting on one side of Saskue while Ino sat on the other. "Naruto-baka, did fail remember, he was so pathetic that he couldn't even do the clone technique." Sakura finished smiling, after all no matter how bad you were it was always good to know there was someone worse.

"Actually, Sakura, Naruto ended up passing with flying colours." He smirked at the look of disbelief on Sakura's face. "There was a mistake made by the person grading his test. So he did actually pass the written exam and as for the clone jutsu. No he cannot perform it." Sakura smiled looking superior. "Instead he demonstrated an A rank wind jutsu to myself and the Hokage to pass the test. As well as some kenjutsu." Sakura's jaw dropped.

"Iruka-sensei, you've got to be joking." Sakura scoffed "There is no way that some dead last no clan loser can do an A rank jutsu. Not even Saske-kun can do that so there is no way a dead last like Naruto could do one." She continued, Naruto was slightly annoyed but the feelings he still had for his crush were preventing him. From doing anything so he just settled for watching. "I mean come on Iruka-sensei he's just some on clan loser there's no way he could. Do an A rank jutsu after all everyone knows that his parents. Ran away from the Kyuubi how could." That was as far as she got pressure dropped on to the class sending Sakura and some of the weaker student's to their knees.

Naruto was pissed, he could take a lot of abuse but bringing his parents into it crossed a line. He let his Reiryouku flood the room smothering the others. With his pressure, it was one of the first things Benihime had taught him. How to intimidate someone with nothing but his Reiryouku, after all half the battle was mental. Make an opponent think he's beat and he will defeat himself nine times out of ten. Some of the people in the room were having problems breathing now he noted before releasing his Reiryouku. "You said something about my parents Sakura?" He asked his voice cold.

For the first time since the class started the people around him took notice of him. His new look raised some eyebrows. But it was the feeling he was giving off that startled people. Not his usual happy go-lucky self. This Naruto felt both cold and ruthless Iruka was the first to recover. "Naruto that's enough" he said sternly Naruto looked at Sakura for another second the pinkette flinched beneath his gaze. Before returning to his seat. "Alright then, we will get right along to the team placements then. You will be working in teams of three so remember to watch each other's backs okay?"

**Time skip three hours later (The teams are the same as Canon)**

The silence was deafening in the classroom where the newly made team seven were waiting. Naruto kept reading his book, Saskue brooded and Sakura was pacing up and down. Stopping every now and then to rape Saskue with her eyes. "Where is he" Sakura screeched neither Saskue nor Naruto payed her any attention. They were more than content just waiting it out, though Saskue did look at Benihime every few minutes. But Naruto guessed the memory of stitches in his arm stopped him from trying to take her again.

"Gahhh, where is he?" Sakura screamed causing both Naruto and Saskue to grit their teeth. In pain as the unholy scream of a banshee assaulted their ear's. Naruto just sighed this was ridiculous, he had almost finished his book on fuuinjutsu the damn. Thing was over five hundred pages long, he'd only be forty in when they had started waiting. Hell he was seriously considering using jinzen to go into his mind scape and train with Benihime consequences be damned. Almost in response to Sakura's question the door slid open. Standing there was a man with gravety defiying silver hair. In a standard Jounin uniform with his forehead protector covering his left eye. "Hmm" the man said in lazy drawl "Team seven? My first impression is, I Hate you... a lot."

"Feelings mutual, Cyclops." Naruto shot back, Kakashi just looked at him like he was bored.

"Meet me on the roof in five minutes." he waved lazily and disappeared in a shinsen, leaves dropping to the floor.

Xxx

Kakashi's heart hurt, it had been like seeing his sensei, Minato all over again. Naruto was more or less a carbon copy of his father in terms of looks. Though if the reports he had read were right, he acted a lot more like his mother. Kakashi sighed, there was a reason he had asked for a team without Naruto on it. Kakashi knew mentally that Naruto, a victim of circumstance; he had heard enough about what happened to the kid in ANBU for that to be readily apparent. But by the same token he had that thing, that killed Minato and Kushina inside him. Kakashi even after twelve year's still wasn't sure how to deal with that. He sighed again he would just have to do his best and try not to neglect the kid.

Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts as the door opened. "Maa, you're just on time." He said eye smiling at Sakura as she came through the door. Kakashi let his students get seated on the bench in front of him before speaking again. "Okay, time to introduce yourselves, say your name, then your Likes, dislikes, hobbies and dreams." He finished eye smiling.

"Umm, Sensei." Sakura started. "Maybe you could go first to show us what you mean." Naruto looked at the pinkette like she had just grown a second head. Before adding asks stupid question's to the ever growing list in his head. 'How did this girl pass as top kunoichi' Naruto asked himself, Benihime didn't answer him, as she, Kakashi and Sasuke were thinking the same thing.

"Okay then." Kakashi said eye smiling. "My name is Hakate Kakashi, I like something's and dislike others. My dreams are a bit personal and as for hobbies well I have lots of hobbies." He finished eye smiling again. 'All we learned was his name.' Was the collective thought of all three Genin of team seven. "You're up first pinky" Kakashi said smiling at Sakura while she grumbled about his choice of nickname.

Sakura quickly composed herself. "My name is Haruno Sakura, my likes are." She turned to Sasuke and went bright red. "My hobbies are" She let out a squeal while looking at Sasuke. "And my dreams are." She looked at Saskue with hearts in her eyes.

"You didn't tell us what you hate." Kakashi pointed out, he didn't like his first student all that much. Sure she had potential but at the rate she was going, Sakura would amount to little more than a glorified meat shield. Either for the more competent ninja's or just the more ruthless ones.

"That's easy I hate NARUTO-BAKA." Sakura yelled, Naruto couldn't help but feel a small pain in his chest when she said that. He had hoped that she would at least see him a little differently with his new clothes. "What else is new?" He muttered bitterly, Kakashi winced as he heard Naruto this was going to screw up the team dynamic a lot.

"You're up next duck butt" He said cheerfully pointing at a still brooding Sasuke. A small tick mark appeared over the self-proclaimed Uchiha avenger's left eye, when Kakashi said that. He was an Uchiha how dare some commoner disrespect him like that, it didn't matter if Kakashi was a Jounin or not, the Uchiha were the elite of the elite.

"My name." He said voice dripping with arrogance. "Is Uchiha Sasuke" He put emphasis on Uchiha. "I don't like anything and I hate lots of things, particularly fan girls." Sakura flinched if Sasuke noticed then he didn't pay it any attention. "I don't have a dream because I will make it a reality; I will kill a certain man and revive my clan."

Kakashi held in a sigh, so far he had a fan girl and an avenger. He just hoped that Naruto would be a little more normal. Both of his students so far could get the team killed on a mission with ease. Kakashi just hoped that whatever Naruto's quirk or malfunction was, it wouldn't put anyone in danger. Otherwise this team would be one big cluster fuck waiting to happen, not that it wasn't already, Kakashi acknowledged, but if at least One of them just one didn't seem to have a self-destructive habit or goal. Then it would improve the teams overall chances of survival. "Okay then Mr. Samurai wannabe, you're up next." He eye smiled inwardly when he saw the tick mark over Naruto's eye.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto." He took a deep breath "I like Ramen and Benihime I hate people who can't tell the difference between a scroll and the kunai that was sealed into it. As well as the three minutes that it takes for Ramen to cook. My dream for the future is to become the best Kenjutsu user I can be and with any luck become a Kenjustu master." Naruto was being careful with his answer as the old man had told him not to advertise that Benihime, was sentient and held ability's beyond a normal katana.

He wasn't lying to them just leaving parts out; he didn't mention his other dream though. He still wanted to be Hokage but at the moment he wanted to get the materialization training down. So he could show Benihime the real world not just the mind scape, she did say she was in no hurry but he wanted to show her so much. Naruto dedicated most of his time to training with that single minded goal in mind.

Kakashi winced when he heard the scroll and kunai remark. 'It looks like now that he knows about Kyuubi he resents the villagers that treated him. Like a pariah, I just hope he isn't planning revenge on the village. After all with everything that's been done to him I could hardly blame him if he was. That brings up another question just who is Benihime. Oh well at least I have one that is at least semi-normal that's something to be glad about, I wonder if Minato-sensei felt the same about our team when he got us.'

"Well that's good you all have dreams and ambitions for the future. Hopefully your ninja training can help you achieve them." He cackled inwardly he always did love the reaction from his next statement. "Now meet me at training ground seven at five am for your Genin exam." 'Wait for it, three, two and one.' "WHAT" Came the collective yell of his Genin, Kakashi loved that reaction.

"But Kakashi-sensei we already passed the Genin exam, that's the reason that you're our sensei remember?" Sakura asked sounding confused, Naruto on the other had didn't like where this was going. Another test hell he had gotten a field promotion to Genin, bypassing the test completely. He gulped his mouth suddenly dry he really, really hoped that he could pass this one.

Kakashi just eye smiled again. "Maa, that is true but that test is just to weed out the people who shouldn't be allowed to advance yet. When you leave the academy another Genin test is administered by the Jounin sensei to see if you're ready to be Genin. Oh and the really interesting thing is that this test." The three Genin would swear until their dying day that Kakashi's eye smile, somehow reminded them of an evil grin, even though it looked exactly the same. "This test has a fail rate of sixty six percent. So out of the twenty seven people that passed only nine will actually become Genin. Okay then Ja Ne, my cute little student's and some advice, don't eat breakfast you'll throw up." Before disappearing in a shunsun leaf's dropping to the ground.

Sakura immediately turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun how about we go and make a plan so that we pass tomorrow's Test. I'm sure with you there we could come up with some really great strategy's, even with Naruto-baka getting in the way." Sakura had hearts in her eyes, if Sasuke said yes then she would be one step closer to his heart, then true love would conquer all and she could rub it in Ino-pig's face.

"No" Sasuke said in an almost monotone. "I don't your help or the dobe's to pass this test. You and him are worthless you, both of you are just going to slow me down. Stupid woman you can't even see how weak you are can you?" He added before jumping on to the street below and walking off.

Sakura looked dejected before turning around her fist already raised. "No Naruto-baka, I will not go out with you." She yelled, before noticing that her other teammate had already left and neither Saskue nor herself had even noticed.

Naruto jumped on to another roof as he made a b line for his apartment. It was about one pm now. That meant he had sixteen hours before the "true" as it were Genin exam. He smirked, by entering the mind scape with jinzen he could take those sixteen hours, turning them into ten days' worth of training with Benihime. Well to be hones more like, ten days of training, talking and just general enjoyment of each other's company. Still he could get more training in then either Sasuke and Sakura could.

Naruto smiled as he angled for the red light district, tomorrow was going to be good very, very good. The blond Genin idly noted as he got closer to his apartment that it really could use a new coat of paint and some putty for the cracks. Some new pipes for the water and, actually you know what just rip the whole thing down and start from scratch the place was a fucking dump anyway.

He sighed as he looked at his front door, his apartment at least the outside had been vandalized….again. The words "Die Demon" emblazoned with large letters on his front door, Naruto sighed ignorant bastards, couldn't they tell the difference between him and a gigantic demon fox, morons. He rubbed his forehead as he debated on whether or not to go through the trouble of getting the paint off.

'Opinions Benihime?' he asked inwardly 'Hmmm, nah don't bother Naruto-kun.' the crimson princess said happily. 'Today you officially became a Genin no matter what that Cyclops says; work like that can wait till tomorrow. Now hurry up and get in here I'm getting lonely.' Naruto chuckled as he heard the parting remark from his partner. Heading inside no longer paying attention to the graffiti on his front door. Sitting down on his couch and laying Benihime on his lap and closing his eyes to mediate.

**Time skip five am training ground seven.**

Naruto yawned he'd spent the last sixteen hours inside his mind scape; while it was somewhat similar to sleep it was still not as restful Benihime. Made him promise to get a proper sleep tonight instead of going inside the mind scape, originally he had declined. Wanting to spend more time with the crimson princess and learn new skills but after seeing the pleading look on her face he had capitulated and agreed. To getting a good night's rest after the "True" as it were Genin exam today, if Kakashi ever turned up that was.

Naruto yawned again, it looked like he was the first one here. The blond quickly took a look at the surroundings, nothing special just a few stumps in the ground and some forested surroundings. He sighed before jumping into a tree and settling in to wait for Kakashi. He refused to call him sensei until he actually taught him something, taking out his beginner book two on Fuuinjutsu. Thanks to Kakashi he had finished book one yesterday. So Naruto had to take another sizable chunk, out of his already diminishing savings account, to buy the new Fuuinjutsu book.

He was sure that anyone else would have got it at a reasonable price, but thanks to being Konoha's "Demon Brat" everything's price was more or less tripped for him. "Ignorant bastards." Naruto muttered, making a mental note to talk to the Hokage, about where to find scrolls on ninja techniques.

Sure he could pass off Hakuda as his own personal fighting style. The Zanjutsu could be done the same way but his Kido spells were going to be a little hard to hide. He needed some jutsu's before people started to ask too many uncomfortable questions. Naruto sighed, the old Hokage had also told him not to use his Shikai where people could see if it could be avoided, as it would raise too many questions, and quite likely get Saskue to go to the council, to have them take Benihime from him. It wouldn't work of course, after all Benihime would probably draw the arrogant bastard into the mind scape, then proceed to beat the holy hell out of the arrogant Uchiha, but he wanted to save both her and the old man the trouble.

That was part of the reason he had been studying Zanjutsu so hard, so he could use the more advanced sword techniques, so that he wouldn't simply rely on the raw power his Shikai bought to the table. Naruto pushed these thoughts to the back of his head and started to read, his new more than mildly expensive book.

'The art of Fuuinjutsu.' He read. 'Is both vast and complicated, many people do not have the drive to accomplish themselves in such a difficult and obscure art. But with the vast array of options that Fuuinjutsu brings to the user, it makes them both a surprising and versatile combatant. Allowing one to easily surprise their opponent, then overwhelm or outsmart them by use of seals, because the art of Fuuinjutsu is not well known. Many opponents don't know what each seal does allowing a Fuuinjutsu user to keep their opponents off guard.

"Good morning Saskue-kun." Came the high pitched screeching voice of his "teammate" Haruno Sakura, though Naruto used the term teammate loosely. He already knew both her and Sasuke didn't view him as a teammate just as a burden. They didn't respect him and how could you trust someone or call them a teammate if they did not respect you or your judgment.

"Speaking of the Uchiha, where is the brooding little emo." Naruto muttered.

Giving the clearing a quick once over, spotting the king of the brooders, leaning against one of the poles in the middle of the training ground his back facing towards Naruto. The spiky haired blond sighed as Sakura asked Sasuke, if he wanted to go on a date. Even if he was starting, just barely starting to get over his crush on the pinkette, it still hurt to see her ask someone else out. He turned back to his book and tried with varying degrees of success to tune Sakura and Saskue out. Benihime started singing giving him something pleasant to focus on and tuning out both of them completely.

Naruto was finally pulled out of his own little world by the arrival of Kakashi, well not by Kakashi himself. Per say but the high pitched scream of LIAR from Sakura. "Well let's take this test then." Sasuke said in his almost monotone voice.

"Maa, Maa, How do you tow expect to take the Genin exam with only two people, when it's a three person test?" Kakashi asked partially to test them; after all he could feel Naruto's chakra in a tree directly behind Sasuke. The other part was to find out what his other two students really thought about his third. Sasuke's was a simple snort of distain dismissing the idea that he an UCHIHA of all people needed someone's help. Let alone that of a failure like Naruto to pass a stupid exam Sakura however had a far more vocal response, one that made Kakashi wince.

"Who needs that Baka." She started. "He's just a dead last and a loser without a clan or anything. I bet he tricked the Hokage into thinking he knew an A rank jutsu, just so he could pass he's pathetic. My mother always told me that, his parents ran away when the Kyuubi attacked, they were pathetic why should their son be any different." She finished sounding smug, she might not be from a shinobi clan but the Haruno's were respected merchants and traders. She had a clan and he didn't, that alone made her better than him.

Kakashi was hoping he had just heard Sakura wrong, that her parents didn't tell her things like that. But he wasn't an idiot with the thirds law about not telling anyone who didn't already know about the Kyuubi. The story of how Naruto's parents "ran away" was probably how her family decided to handle instilling hatred of Naruto into Sakura. This was really going to screw with team dynamics; Kakashi was bought out if his thoughts by the approaching presence behind Sasuke.

He looked up and felt his mouth go dry; Kakashi had been hoping that maybe, just maybe Naruto hadn't heard what Sakura had just said. That hope was quickly crushed when he saw the look in Naruto's eyes. He had expected anger, hurt, hatred even. What was inside his eyes seemed even worse, that blank emotionless look, Kakashi had been Itahci's ANBU captain.

Right now Naruto's eyes made Itachi's normally emotionless expression look positively joy filled. His eyes, Kakashi had seen his sensei Minato in every different mood imaginable. But never even once had he thought the blue cerulean that Naruto had inherited from his father could look like this. Cold, harsh, inhospitable were all good words to describe Naruto's eyes in that moment. But it was the feeling that the boy gave off that put Kakashi on edge, cold, calm, composed and completely devoid of mercy.

"I'm right here Kakashi." Naruto stated voice even, after that speech of Sakura's, Benihime was screaming for her blood and Naruto was sorely tempted to oblige her. Sakura and Sasuke turned around so quickly, you would have thought they had turned their necks a full one hundred and eighty degrees and just left their body's facing forward. The looks on their faces would normally make Naruto laugh, right now though he wanted to kill them.

"Naruto-baka." Sakura screamed at him. "Why are you so late, you almost made Sasuke-kun and I fail, you worthless baka." She pulled her hand back to punch him thinking he would take it like so many times before. She was in for a rude awakening; the fist went forward Naruto waited, five inches, four, three. Time to dodge; he leaned forward allowing the poorly thrown punch to go above his head, pulling himself opposite to Sakura's ribs. Channeling Reiryouku into his palm, Naruto placed it on Sakura's side and pivoted releasing the stored energy, sending her flying. Kakashi watched in horror as one member of his team mercilessly attacked another, he saw the blood come out of Sakura's mouth as the attack hit.

Naruto straightened back up like nothing happened, the attack he used **Tessho **was one of the most basic Hakuda strikes. Normally he would never consider using Hakuda on a comrade no matter how much he disliked them, Saskue was living proof. But Sakura had crossed a line she wasn't a comrade anymore, he wouldn't kill her but he wouldn't save her either.

"Naruto." Kakashi started, sounding unusually stern. "Attacking a fellow Konoha ninja is treason you know this?" Kakashi was about to continue when Naruto said a few words he had hoped never to hear.

"Yes." Naruto agreed. "Attacking a comrade and fellow ninja would be treason. But after what she just said." He flicked his thumb back towards Sakura who was still trying to pull herself off the ground. "I don't see her as either, she's just a stepping stone, a worthless human that deserves neither mercy nor pity." Naruto turned his frozen eyes on Kakashi. Before muttering in a tone only Kakashi could hear. "Just like the rest of this worthless village."

Kakashi honestly debated letting them take the Genin test after that, but if he didn't then the council would be on his back about "The Last Uchiha." He couldn't just let Obito's legacy fall to the side like that. A small voice in his head asked about Minato's legacy and what Kakashi had done for him, Kakashi just tried to drown it out, with very limited success.

"Okay after that display I would normally fail you all on principle. But Sakura's comments were out of line, so I'm going to let this slide this time only. However that is only if Naruto, tells me what kind of Taijutsu style he just used." Kakashi finished, according to the reports that he had been given Naruto was little better than a tavern brawler. That was what concerned him, the strike Naruto had used was clearly part of a style, and for him to pick it up so quickly it would have to be an effective one.

Naruto thought about it for a second he didn't see the harm in telling Kakashi, but if he asked where he learned it that might cause him some problems. 'Hmm, I guess I could just redirect him to the old man, if he didn't tell Kakashi about Benihime in advance, then he probably won't if he go's and asks about it. Opinion's Benihime?'

The Crimson princess was silent for a moment. 'I think you should tell him the name of the fighting style, after all there won't be any records of it. Then just like you said if he asks more redirect him to the Hokage, I think that the old man will keep our little secret, at least until we want others to know.' Naruto mentally nodded in agreement before looking back at Kakashi.

"The styles name is Hakuda." Naruto said some emotion creeping back into his tone. Kakashi mentally reviewed the types of Taijutsu he knew. He was certain that he had never heard of the name Hakuda he was sure he would of if a village Jounin knew it. After all he had spared all of them at one time or another.

"And who taught you this style, Naruto." Kakashi asked as casually as possible, fishing for more information.

"Benihime" Naruto replied, his face showed little emotion, inside however both he and Benihime were laughing hysterically. The Cyclops would be running in circles until they decided to bring him into the loop, and that wouldn't happen for a long time if they had their way. Knowing that the old man would likely back them up, they would probably be getting it.

Kakashi ran through the lists of Jounin in his mind, both ANBU and non ANBU. Not even one of them had the name Benihime, even as a nickname he supposed Anko could qualify but Anko never used that kind of fighting style. Kakashi knew for a fact that Anko used the Hebi-ken(lit. Snake Fist), he resolved to ask the Hokage about it later.

"Okay then." Kakashi said still sounding lazy, as he tied a pair of bells to his flak jacket. "Your objective is to get these two bells from me before noon." He eye smiled and pulled out and clock and set the alarm. "You have four hours, any questions?"

Naruto felt perplexed. "Wait, wait, wait,wait, You had a CLOCK on you and you were still three hours late. How the hell does that even happen?" Naruto asked legitimately confused by that fact and rightly so. In what could well be a world first even Saskue nodded in agreement with the blond.

"I have a better question." Came the winded voice of Sakura from behind them. "Why are there only two bells Kakashi-sensei?" She shot a death glare at Naruto. "More importantly why did you hit me Naruto-BAKA. I'm from a clan you're not you are not allowed to hit me."

Kakashi opened his mouth to reply but was cut off. "Why did I hit you?" Naruto asked sounding genuinely surprised by Sakura's question. "You tried to hit me and I retaliated, what's so surprising about that?" Sakura went to yell at him but was stopped by Naruto's next words. "In fact I don't think I quite heard you properly when you said those things about my parents." His hand dropped to Benihime's hilt and Sakura paled when she saw his hand, casually resting in sword drawing position before taking a shaky step back. "Maybe." Naruto continued his voice getting progressively colder. "You would like to repeat them for me?" Sakura did the smart thing and backed down.

Kakashi let the tension out of his body; at least he wouldn't have to keep one of his students from killing the other, well today at least. "Well Sakura." He said in a cheerful voice. "That's because only two of you will pass the other one will go back to the academy. On top of that the one that goes back will be tied to the stump and have to watch the other two eat lunch in front of them." He eye smiled at the group. "No more questions, In that case ready and GO!"

Kakashi took note of his student hiding places, Sakura seventy five meters to his left hidden in some bushes. Sasuke, one hundred ten point five meters directly behind him and Naruto Standing directly in front of him just like when they were talking earlier. "Uh, Naruto." He said sounding confused. "You do know the test has started right you can go and hide now." Naruto just shrugged in response.

"Yes I know Kakashi." He acknowledged, drawing Benihime. Kakashi was immediately on guard, all of his instincts were telling him to be wary of that sword. "But you probably know this training ground like the back of your hand. No point in wasting time and energy hiding if you'll immediately know where I am." Naruto flicked Benihime's tip at the cycloptic Jounin, despite the distance between them. Kakashi immediately dodged and felt a sharp pain in his right cheek. He touched his face blood was running down his mask.

Kakashi's thought processes stopped, a Genin, a fucking GENIN had just injured him. Not using any charkra at all, that slash that managed to cause him a light injury was executed using nothing but pure skill, Kakashi stared at Naruto. 'This kids a monster.' That was when he realized that Naruto was wearing that sword for more than just show.

Naruto grimaced, the Zanjutsu technique he had just used was the **Hozuri**. The most basic of the lot and the only one he had at his disposal. Sure he knew how to block, parry, step and attack but Zanjutsu was so much more than that. It was about letting your Reiryouku flow through the blade to produce an attack that defied everything. What was irritating him though, was the fact he missed he could see Kakashi only had one eye. Naruto had been hoping to cut him on the eyebrow and throw off his depth perception. Benihime had done it enough times to him to show that it was brutally effective.

Naruto sighed he doubted that Kakashi would give him time to use Hozuri again, after all it took him five seconds to set it up that meant he was going to have to go to close combat. 'God dammit.' He charged cutting diagonally down. Before changing his grip and smashing his palm into Kakashi's side, **"****Tessho****"**Naruto screamed before smiling, Kakashi had underestimated him this was over. His enjoyment was short lived as "Kakashi" turned into a log. Though he did note with a small bit of pride that the Tessho that he used smashed the log to splinters.

'Dammit' Narutocursed inwardly, pivoting to avoid a punch to the kidney from Kakashi. Kakashi's eye opened wider, damn the kid was fast. Naruto jumped back to avoid the spin kick aimed at his head pointing his index finger at Kakashi, making the Jonin wonder what he was doing. Naruto smiled he just knew he was going to love the reaction he was about to get. **"****Hado#4:**** Byakurai" **lighting lanced off his out stretched finger towards Kakashi's head; the white haired Jounin dodged rather easily but was still shaken.

This kid was supposed to be the dead last THE DEAD FREAKING LAST. So far he cuts him from a distance using only pure skill. Is able to force him to use the kawarimi and then destroy the log he substituted with. Following that he uses some kind of jutsu that Kakashi had never seen before the kid was one surprise after another.

Naruto loved the bug eyed look in Kakashi's lone eye and decided to up the ante, letting the Jonin see the highest level kido he could cast. He knew Kakashi would dodge it but it would definitely annihilate some trees, make Saskue jealous as all hell as well. A definite plus in the blond Genin's book, he smirked.

Kakashi saw Naruto put his palm up towards him he gulped, what was his most unpredictable student about to do now. **"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws****. Hado#33****: Sokatsui. **Blue fire roared from his hand and annihilated everything in front of him including four trees. Naruto knew Kakashi had gotten away though, the man would have been a piss poor Jonin, If he didn't escape when Naruto used that long incantation.

Kakashi had never been so glad for the Kawarimi. He was more than interested in Naruto now, but he still had other student's that he needed to test. Though he was contemplating using his Sharingan, in order to copy some of Naruto's jutsu. One way or the other though, Kakashi would be getting some answer's either out of the Hokage or Naruto.

Sakura was staring just staring at the training ground, looking at what Naruto had just done. Her mind had shut down and was not responding. At first everything seemed to be going about as well as could be expected, both Saskue and she had hidden. Naruto opted to stay in the open and just talk with their sensei before drawing his sword. From this point onward Sakura could no longer make sense of the encounter. Naruto had Injured, INJURED their sensei with no support then proceeded to devastate their surroundings, using jutsu that she had never seen or heard of before. Sakura just couldn't understand it. "Strange isn't it Sakura." Came the slightly bored voice from behind her.

Sakura opened her mouth to agree before turning around, coming face to face with an eye smiling Kakashi. Just as he finished his hand seals "**Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu**." Leaves fell around Sakura as she tried to figure out where her sensei went. "Sakura, Sakura over here." Sakura turned towards the tired sounding voice and screamed, staggering forward was her crush Uchiha Saskue. The young Uchuha had several weapons embedded in his body as blood pooled around him giving the seen an ethereal feel. As Sakura struggled to figure out what was going on, looking at her crush the fan girl did the one thing she could screamed and fainted. The illusion parted leaving a disappointed Kakashi, this was supposed to be the best Genjutsu user on the team. There were times when he could swear that the Hokage hated him.

At the same time Sasuke was seething at the battle between the supposed dobe and his Jonin "Sensei" it was maddening. Why did someone like the dobe have that kind of power, when he an Uchiha didn't? Why, Naruto was nothing just a clan less loser, everyone hated him and loved Sasuke. So how could that worthless dobe have power he didn't, he needed that power he deserved it to kill Itachi he deserved everything that the leaf had and more if necessary.

The village knew it; they gave him extra training and jutsu Sasuke decided he would go to the council after this, and demand that they give him access to all of the techniques that Naruto knew. Unlike the dobe he would be able to use them correctly, after all the Uchiha were the elite of the elite but before that, came avenging the stain on his honor. On the honor of the Uchiha how dare the dobe injurer their sensei before he did.

Kakashi approached Sasuke's hiding place carefully, since Naruto had exceeded his expectations so drastically Kakashi had been on guard. Not even taking out his beloved Icha Icha to read, the bushes next to him rustled and the Jonin used the warning to jump into a nearby tree. Just before the barrage of shuriken hit where he had been standing a second ago. Kakashi raised his right arm and blocked Sasuke's flying kick, eye smiling at his third Genin. "Not bad Sasuke." Kakashi admitted. "Your certainly different from Naruto and Sakura. But being different is not always a good thing, your good Sasuke but you're not the best Genin here, that title go's to Naruto." Kakashi eye smiled at his last student.

Sasuke was beyond angry; the Jonin dodges his trap and kick so easily then tells him he's not as good as some no clan loser. "Your right, I'm not on the dobe's level, I'm above him!" He yelled hands blurring through hand seals. "**Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu**" Kakashi smirked beneath his mask this really would have caught him off guard, If he hadn't seen Naruto quite literally incinerate four trees earlier. Sasuke looked at the path his fire ball had taken he couldn't smell burning flesh so his sensei didn't get hit. He wasn't to the right or left "Above!" Sasuke yelled looking straight up and seeing nothing.

"Below, actually." Came the cheerful voice of Kakashi. **"****Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu****." **A pair of hand's came out of the ground and gripped his ankles **"****Doton: Shinjū Zanshu no Jutsu****." **Sasuke was unceremoniously burred up to his neck in the earth as Kakashi pulled himself out of a hole opposite.

"Not bad, Sasuke but you could do better, Ja Ne" Kakashi gave him a cheery wave before disappearing via Shunshin Sasuke was livid, how dare such a commoner do this to him. He would show Kakashi the true power of the Uchiha. He looked around to see if anything was close by, just as soon as he dug himself out.

Kakashi returned to the three stumps and was surprised to see Naruto waiting there. Kakashi was even more surprised when he wasn't attacked. "What not going to attack me, Naruto?" He asked genuine curiosity lacing his tone.

"No I'm not." Naruto acknowledged. "I've been going through what I know about ninja teams." Kakashi's visible eyebrow was raised by this statement. "You know I have never heard of a three man team, it was always three Genin one Jonin sensei so this leads me to just one conclusion. This test is a sham you weren't testing if we could get the bells were you? Just if we could work together under pressure, right? Kakashi." Naruto fixed him with a look that held a little warmth in his eyes, Kakashi almost sighed in relief that was the happiest he had seen Naruto all day.

Kakashi eye smiled at Naruto. "When did you figure it out?" He asked still smiling. Before noticing the predatory look on Naruto's face and realizing he had walked into some kind of trap.

"I didn't, at least until you confirmed it for me just then." Naruto said smugly, Kakashi couldn't believe it he had just been out smarted by a Genin. Again, that was the irritating part.

"Shouldn't you go and look for Sasuke and Sakura then?" Kakashi shot back at the blond haired Genin. He was feeling mildly confused about why Naruto was still here now that he had figured out the things he needed to do to pass. Naruto shrugged before cracking his neck and drawing out Benihime again.

"I could." He admitted "But what would be the point? Mr. Emo is too proud and arrogant to accept help, let alone admit he needs it. As for miss pink haired and fan girly she won't help unless he does so what's the point. Still we have half an hour left." Naruto pointed to the clock, before smiling viciously. "Care for a quick spar sensei?" Kakashi drew kunai in each hand.

"Well you never know they might surprise you." Kakashi said brightly. Naruto gave him a look that was the facial equivalent of 'are you fucking serious?' Kakashi sighed, alright he had to admit his blond haired student had a point. "So what are the ground rules then?" Kakashi asked resigning himself to a thirty minute sparing session. Naruto tilted his head to the side, as if holding a conversation with someone that wasn't there. Kakashi pulled out a pair of kunai and settled them comfortably in a back handed grip in each hand.

"Full contact, weapons and Taijutsu only." Kakashi shrugged before charging his student. Naruto sighed and took a guarding position Kakashi's first kunai went for his stomach while the other aimed at his throat. Naruto slashed downwards diagonally, forcing Kakashi to block of lose an arm but the second kunai went on unimpeded. Naruto used the force of the slash to drive Benihime into the ground before using her as a pivot to kick the kunai out of Kakashi's hand, landing and letting out a viscous back handed strike.

Both teacher and student backed up to per pair for round three. When the timer wont off causing them both to almost face fault.

Ten Minutes later found Sakura tied to a tree stump and none too happy about it. "Why am I tied to a tree" She complained. "Why isn't Naruto-Baka?" She whined Kakashi sighed the test had been a goddam nightmare; minus Naruto neither of the others were ready to be Genin. Kakashi still couldn't believe it though; the dead last or at least supposed dead last had put up the best fight.

"Because, Sakura." Kakashi said sounding tired. "He actually put up a fight unlike you." He ignored Sakura's protests that Naruto should be on the stump as he had no clan and was therefore inconsequential. In comparison to her who was a clan heir. "Normally, I would fail you all on principal but the council in all its wisdom. Has demanded that I pass Saskue. Despite the fact he is both weak and unready." Kakashi took a brief moment of satisfaction of the look on Saksues face at the weak comment. He would help Obito's legacy get stronger, but he was not going to coddle him, a voice in his head asked about Minato's legacy but he stomped it back down.

"So by default I have to pass the rest of you." He eye smiled at them though this time it felt like pure evil "So get ready for hell, because I'm going to drag you up to Genin, Chunin then Jonin level. If it kills me, or you for that matter. Team seven as one felt a chill race up their spines that had nothing to do with the temperature.

**To Be Continued.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Naruto: The Crimson Blade Chronicles- Part One Halcyon Days**

**Chapter Three- Training From Hell, Uzuki Yugao and The Singing Princess**

This is version 2, hopefully I got all the misspelt Sasuke's also Shino and Hinata actually got some page time now.

Okay to start with I need to get this off my chest I FUCKING HATE MY PORTABLE HARD DRIVE RIGHT NOW! Thank you for indulging me with that.

I actually had this chapter almost finished last Saturday by which I mean the 13th but then the damn thing crashed and took all the fucking data with it. So this right here is a complete rewrite of chapter three and now to the fun part after looking at the reviews let me say this.

Naruto will not be transferring off team seven anytime soon mostly because it wouldn't really matter the why of that will be explained in this chapter. On top of that I will be including the Wave mission in the storyline mostly because it was where team seven got their first real taste of what it meant to be Shinobi. It was important to them as it helped them grow emotionally and really drove the point home that not everyone is making it out alive. But don't expect it to be the same old wave mission that you all know and dare I say it love. Naruto will be doing more than a few morally questionable acts on this wave mission and I have tried to justify it as well as I can.

As for how dark I feel the wave mission part of this chapter is please allow me to say this. Naruto is a world populated by **Ninja** the main focus of the story are **Ninja's **you know people who kill others for money. I am not trying to make Naruto some gritty anti-hero but the ninja world never really seemed like a nice place to be, Naruto is kind of like the ray of sunlight in an otherwise gray world. Face it Kishimoto gave us the sunshine and rainbows version of the world, I am not going to lie to you my characters will occasionally do morally questionable acts why because they are Ninja and that is what Ninja do_._

As for members of team seven dying that is a possibility but to be honest I just have a vague overall plan for this, nothing too detailed still if I'm guessing at what's gonna happen next then you all have no chance of calling it. That being said there is a poll on my account page now that has Saskue returns to leaf and Saskue go's to Orochimaru on it, I hope you all put in a vote because how the story changes is going to be based on that as a pivot point. Although I am partial to Saskue doesn't go to Orochimaru myself you know diverge from Cannon a bit, I could probably make him less of an ass as well, but that is neither here nor there right now.

Someone also commented on Naruto seeming not all that forgiving and seeing the darkness in people. That would be Benihime's influence she is called the crimson princess for a reason. Mostly because she likes the blood of her enemies and taught Naruto in the grand total of eighty days they had, how to tell friend from foe when dealing with others so no, he no longer see's the world as sunshine and roses.

As for why there wasn't some kind of training montage about what they did over those eighty or so days the reason is it would have been boring as hell, really most people use training as a way of filler or at least that's how it feels most of the time. The only places I have seen it done right are Yet Again With A Little Extra Help and From Fake dreams both by third fang. Though I will give an honorable mention to both Naruto: Shifts In Life and Naruto Shippuden: The Namikaze Return Redux both by Pokemaster12 all of which I highly recommend.

In a direct shout out to ForeverFallen76 I would like to say that I would work on my spelling and sentence structure but to be honest I do not have time. That being said I would like to invite any and all that have picked up on one thing they have found glaring in either my punctuation or spelling and please place it in with a review and I will try to work on it. That is really the best I can do I am sorry. Also thanks for wishing me well on becoming a Lab Tech, god damned paperwork.

As for things you could give as advice something like. "When you write a persons name in dialogue you need to put a comma before and after their name." Would be helpful

Also by now you have all most likely noticed the – Part one Halcyon Day's after Naruto: The Crimson Blade Chronicles. If you haven't please scroll back up I'm not joking, though I am mighty surprised that you missed it. In order to make putting all the little ideas I file away on the computer easier to locate I have broken this story up in to parts.

Part one that you are reading now is obviously called Halcyon Days literally meaning clam days, in ancient Greece it was the period of 14 days of calm before the winter solstice it was thought to promote joy and growth. Up until the end of the Saskue retrieval arc you are in part one the Halcyon Days I am not sure how many chapters are going to make up part one but there will be a few.

Part two will be between six and eight chapter's long and will be called The Halcyon Interludes and will focus on the actions of people after the success or failure depending on your vote. Of the Saskue retrieval mission and the fallout from it both political and otherwise.

Part three will take place in the three year or seven in this case year time skip. It will be called Goodbye Halcyon Days and will cover some original story arcs and some anime and movie only ones. For the movies it will take up movies 3 and 2 in that order of Naruto and Movies 1,2,4 and 3 of Naruto Shippuden also in that order.

Finally part four I haven't worked out what to call this one yet but in case you have not guessed it will span all of Shippuuden and depending on how I'm feeling I might even make a part five but that mostly depends on materials and plot.

I would also like to add that yes I have read team sevens ascension and had written the part that looks like plagiarism before that. That being said I thoroughly recommend both it and The Sealed Kunai as great stories in their own right. Adding to that anything by Kenichi618

There will be an extra Authours note at the bottom of the chapter detailing a pole that will remain up until about Wednesday next week along with a few other things.

Thank you for reading the Authors Note, on with the show.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"**Bijuu or Boss Summons"**

**Jutsu, Kido, ect when in use not just being talked about.**

**Story start.**

Kakashi sighed his day was not going well, he really should have failed them they were nowhere near ready for the life of a ninja, damn council. Seeing Naruto had hurt though he looked like a mini Minato and fought hard, but he seemed far more cynical and disillusioned than either Minato or Kushina ever were. Not that he could blame the kid though he did seem to hold a lot of pent up resentment at the village, Kakashi sighed again as he saw the Hokage tower draw into view. The Jonin meeting had been called an hour ago by the Hokage, he was sure that the Hokage knew he was going to be late and planed accordingly the old man was adaptable like that.

Kakashi sighed again as he hopped over another roof watching the window of the Hokages office get closer. He slapped the side of his face he needed his head in the game, his team was nowhere near ready. Not that he didn't have a plan to bring them up to standard and then some, if it killed him or them for that matter. Kakashi jumped on to the windowsill of the Hokage office before waving and giving a lazy Yo he did notice that his teams file was still on the Hokages desk. The old man had probably expected him to be this late, not that his superior hadn't tried to break him of that habit, no the aged leader had just failed miserably each time he tried. Keyword tried to make the copy nin show up for anything on time.

The Hokage just turned around and gave him a deadpan look, why did every ninja just have to come in via the window and not the door it was there for a reason dammit. The Hokage lamented before smiling at Kakashi. "So Kakashi-kun." He asked sounding a little anxious "How did our newest Genin team do?" Sarutobi was not a moron he knew that the council would do anything to keep their precious "Last Uchiha" happy. That included forcing a Jonin to pass him and the team he was on even if they didn't deserve it but Kakashi was an ANBU albeit former. The aging Hokage knew he could count on the man to give an unbiased account even with his issues regarding Naruto.

Kakashi looked at his leader for a second before exhaling slowly he needed to drive this home as brutally as possible. After all the people he needed for his plan to work were the best in their fields and not easily replaceable. But all the same he needed them if his new Genin team had a chance in hell of survival. "To be brutally honest Hokage-sama they are abysmal, in terms of skill and they show little to no ability to interact with each other."

Kakashi saw the look on his leaders face it was hard and cold he took it and used it as fuel to drive his point home. "When I first arrived at training ground seven Naruto was hiding in a tree, while Sasuke and Sakura, were against the poles and unaware of his presence. I decided to test their aptitude for team work and asked them how they were going to take a three person test with two people. Sasuke snorted and scoffed as if he would not need any help to pass the test. Don't get me wrong, Hokage-sama, he is good but he is far, far to arrogant and it's going to get him and a lot of others killed one day." The old Hokage nodded at Kakashi to continue.

"Next up was, Sakura, she insulted, Naruto, calling him some no clan loser I would venture a guess that her clan had given her a superiority complex. Almost as big as, Sasuke's, if I had to guess I also think they probably don't respect or even like, Naruto, and that will make it hard for them to work with each other." Kakashi took a deep breath. "That's when, Naruto made himself known to the others, Sasuke, disregarded him and as for Sakura, she tried to hit him. This is where things started to get a little strange regarding Naruto, he not only dodged her strike but hit her with a counter at an almost perfect range and angel. Using a style that I have never even heard of in passing before, I believe he called it Hakuda (lit. White Strikes) he said he learned it from someone called Benihime." Kakashi noted the look of recognition that passed over his leaders face.

"Normally I would have failed them on principal, but as, Sakura, started the altercation I chose to let it slide and let them take the test anyway." The old Hokage nodded as he listened his eye's never leaving Kakashi's face. "At the start of the test both, Sakura and Sasuke, left and hid while Naruto remained saying it would be a waste of time and energy to hide. Since I would only find him almost immediately anyway, something I personally agree with, Hokage-sama." Kakashi added, before elaborating at the questioning look on his leaders face. "I know the test is about evaluating their ninja ability's and teamwork skills but I think Naruto made a good point. Why run and hide from an enemy that would easily find you, when you could use the energy to mount a more effective defense."

The Hokage nodded his acceptance of the logic behind Kakashi's reasoning before gesturing for him to continue. "Following our little talk Naruto drew his katana and attacked me, I would like for you to note that no chakra was used in his attack, Hokage-sama and that I was almost seven meters away." The aging leader looked at Kakashi quizzically wondering why these two facts were important. "Hokage-sama, he still managed to cut me with no chakra when I was too far away for his sword to reach he cut me using nothing but pure skill. Nothing more and nothing less. Hokage-sama, in terms of skill at the moment Naruto is the best in team seven. The kid will be an absolute monster on the battlefield if we get him the right training."

Sarutobi could feel his eyes widening, Naruto poor abused, neglected and ridiculed Naruto had cut one of his best Jonin from a distance utilizing nothing but pure skill. That alone was incredible, he knew some members of ANBU that couldn't pull a distance cut like that off. The Hokage was shaken out of his stupor as Kakashi continued. After which he charged and I used the Kawamiri no jutsu to get behind him, Hokage-sama, Naruto hit the log so hard with a technique he called Tessho he completely destroyed it. After which he used two jutsu I have never even seen before one of which incinerated four trees before I escaped and could test, Saskue and Sakura."

Kakashi could see the disbelief on the Hokages face not that he blamed him after all he had been there and he could hardly believe what had happened. "Sakura fell for a D ranked Genjustu and put up no fight what so ever and Sasuke, while he has enough chakra to use his clans favored Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu. He lets his arrogance get in the way he also seems to have some kind of superiority and inferiority complex, he got extremely agitated by me saying Naruto was above him in terms of power. I think his superiority complex comes from his clans teachings as a child and his inferiority comes from seeing them killed." The Hokage nodded it was a sound enough theory at any rate, dear god this team was going to cause him no end of problems and paperwork before the end he could feel it.

"Hakate Kakashi" He started in a stern voice he dropped the usual affectionate suffixes to let the man know he was serious. "Based on what you have seen of team seven thus far what are the chances that they could fulfill missions for Konohagakrue no Sato. To both the villages standards and your own and for their deficiency's how would you go about fixing them and what resources would you need to do so?" Kakashi almost sighed in relief the Hokage had asked him just the question he wanted.

"Hokage-sama, at the current time team seven could handle no higher than a D rank mission to my standards and the villages. If they were granted a higher level mission at their current level of skill and teamwork the mission would be failed or they would die." The Hokage nodded to Kakashi the man was lazy as all hell but he was concise and his information was accurate when he needed it to be. The Hokage gestured for Kakashi to continue he wanted to hear how he planed to rectify these problems.

Kakashi took a deep breath. "I would like team seven to be broken apart for a period of six months and have it's three current Genin, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Saskue and Uzumaki Naruto, apprenticed for this time period to myself and two ninja if my choosing." The Hokage was stunned asking for a team to be broken down and then rebuilt had never happened before, then there was the apprenticeship that Kakashi wanted his students to have. Essentially he would be losing three valuable ninja for six months to train Genin.

The Hokage weighed the pros and cons of either decision. "Hakate Kakashi, I will be blunt I have never has a sensei, prospective or otherwise ask me this. My first reaction would be no as I can not spare many ninja at this time with the Chunin exams coming up in eight months we are consolidating our borders and power."

Kakashi was in a bind and he knew it he needed these kids to get this or they were going to die they all had too many physiological issues for him, to train them together at the moment. "However I am willing as you are one of my most trusted Jonin to hear out your reasoning on who you want and why and make a decision based on your argument." Kakashi's jaw almost connected with the floor maybe there was a chance in hell this was going to work after all.

"Hokage-sama, for the training of Haruno Sakura, I would request Mitarashi Anko. Anko, is well versed in poisons, stealth, interrogation and assassination also as a friend of Yuhi Kurenai she is knowledgeable in Genjutsu. A subject that Sakura should excel in with her naturally good chakra control under Anko's guidance, Sakura could become an excellent poison and assassination mistress, with a back up in Genjutsu also based on her excellent chakra control she could be become the teams medic, with an extensive knowledge in poisons making her team members less susceptible to poison related attacks. Further more Anko, is known to have rather brutal training methods and a strong hatred of fan girls and should be able to break Sakura's fan girl tendency towards Saskue. Add to this the fact that Anko is an orphan like Naruto, she may be able to "help"(read as beat the fuck out of) Sakura get over her superiority complex towards those without clans.

The Hokage thought it over for a second Kakashi had made a good argument for Anko to be assigned to teaching Sakura but he was either going to do the whole thing or not at all. So the aging Hokage settled in to listen to Kakashi's reasoning for his next students teacher.

"For, Uchiha Sasuke, I would like to teach him myself my reasoning for this is quite straight forward. As I have lost most of my friends and all of my family through war I can relate to Sasuke on a more personal level. Add to that my knowledge of the sharingan I should be able to teach him that his clans Kekkei Genkai is not almighty and teach him some humility. As far as skills go I do know several exercises that should help him activate the sharingan that I can utilize, in addition to that Saskue, like most Uchiha seems to be a ninjutsu type. As you know I have copied enough to make me a walking library on the subject, as ninjutsu go's I would most likely teach him mostly Katon as he seems to favor them. In addition to extra work on his Taijutsu and stealth skills and familiarize him with typical entry and exit strategy's for both heavy assault and assassination."

The Hokage nodded again if Kakashi was making the type of squad he thought he was he knew who the last teacher would be but Kakashi would need to make a damn good argument to get her. "Finally as you may have guessed Hokage-sama, the final teacher I would like Uzumaki Naruto to have is Uzuki Yugao. On the skills front she is the finest sword user in the ANBU the weapon Naruto favors, as well as a more than passable ninjutsu user with a dual element in wind and lightning. Elements Naruto is quite likely to have, other skills I would like him to learn are improved stealth, trap making, tracking and assassination of all kinds as well as if time permits survival training. The reason I picked her for physiological reasons is that,Yugao was one of Naruto's guards when he was a baby, through to about when he was a seven year old and holds no I'll will towards him it may help him start to overcome his hate at Konoha's treatment. Hopefully when these three meet again they will be able to make a better judgment about the others and will have gotten over some of the issues holding them back." Kakashi finished and waited for his leader to speak.

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of Konohagakrue no Sato sat and matched the information Kakashi had just given him together with what he had said previous. The man was a genius it was a reckless gamble but pure genius. Having Haruno Sakura as a supporter in battle via healing and Genjutsu as well as poisoning the enemy. In open battle or seducing them and then killing them via poison or a hidden blade in assassination.

Uchiha Sasuke with the sharingan and the jutsu to back it up would be devastating in group combat and with the extra training in Taijutsu and assassination he would be more than capable at one on one and assassination or information gathering as well. Finally Uzumaki Naruto would be the teams heavy hitter in open conflict with his sword and large scale Jutsu to mow down enemy ranks and using the boys natural ability at sneaking and staying undetected would make him a fearsome assassin. Sarutobi smiled, oh yes he liked this, Kakashi was more or less trying to turn these kids in to miniature ANBU.

Sarutobi was cackling on the inside while his exterior remained hard, oh yes the look on Danzo's face when he found out about this would be priceless. "Hakate Kakashi, I will approve an apprenticeship of six months for, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto, under yourself, Mitarashi Anko and Uzuki Yugao. Anything else you need, Kakashi-kun?" The Hokage asked sounding innocent, Kakashi saw straight through his leaders act, the Hokage was happy that Naruto got a personal ANBU trainer and the council shinobi or otherwise couldn't do anything about it.

"Actually yes, Hokage-sama, the skills, Naruto, learned they are brutal and incredibly effective the person he learned them from this "Benihime" could I meet her." Kakashi's voice held a slight edge of desperation to it, twelve years, twelve YEARS and he still couldn't put his thoughts in order about Minato's son. He needed to meet someone who taught him and ask how they moved past the fox, maybe if they told him he could put his own personal demons about Naruto to rest and see him as his parents son instead of a painful reminder.

The Hokage sighed he knew why Kakashi asked that question and wished he could help the young Jonin but it was not his secret to tell. "I am sorry, Kakashi-kun." The aging leader said sadly. "But that is an S ranked village secret right now and to be honest Naruto-kun, is the only one that should introduce Benihime to anyone. I am sorry Kakashi-kun, perhaps when he opens up enough to you Naruto will let you meet her, besides anything about her is not my secret to tell."

Kakashi nodded looking disappointed but his mind was working overtime. Another S rank secret regarding Naruto that made three, the fact that the Hokage wouldn't say anything about this Benihime meant that she was both incredibly important to Naruto and most likely very powerful, he briefly considered going behind his leaders back and trying to learn the secret from an ANBU member. Then discarded the notion if he did that he doubted the Hokage would ever trust him again and if Naruto found out, then even if Kakashi got over his issues, Naruto would most likely want nothing to do with him.

There was a knock from the office door. "Hokage-sama." Came the timid voice of his secretary. "The council is meeting of the subject of Naruto-kun, will you be attending?" Sarutobi didn't remember a council meeting today. As a matter of fact it had been scheduled for tomorrow so he could talk with the Jonin sensei's individually. Still it wouldn't be the first time the council had tried to pull a fast one on him, normally they tried it about once a month but never broke any laws out right about calling the meeting, they just forgot to inform him of it.

"Thank you, Akane-chan tell them the session will begin in five minutes and we will not need to call Naruto-kun for the meeting, any and all complaints they have I will answer personally." The door opened the young woman standing inside the door frame looked venerable.

"Hokage-sama." She said softly like she didn't want to say what she was about to at all. "The council started the session twenty minutes ago." The Hokage frowned that was very close to treason, not including the Hokage in the workings of the village almost constituted a death penalty. "That's not all, Hokage-sama." She continued face still down. "They called for, Naruto-kun, Ten minutes ago, they said it was under your orders, something about a stolen katana and the last Uchiha." Sarutobi went from frustrated to furious almost instantly, this was not close to treason this was treason.

"Kakashi, your coming with me." He barked the order at one of his most trusted Jonin, Kakashi nodded he had seen the third in this state before. When he was like this you sat down shut up and hoped to high heaven that his anger was not directed at you. "Thank you, Akemi-chan." He said smiling at his secretary and speaking in a far kinder tone, before leaving the office in a hurry Kakashi trailing behind. Kakashi didn't know how bad his blond haired student had it in Konoha only hearsay from ANBU members and the Hokage but he had a sinking feeling he was about to find out.

**Twenty Minutes Earlier Naruto's Apartment**

"Zzzzzzzzzzz"

Knock, knock. "Naruto wake up."

"Zzzzzzzzzzz"

Knock, Knock "Naruto!"

"Zzzz hmmmm zzzzzz"

BANG "Uzumaki Naruto, Wake the hell up!"

Naruto woke to the sound of yelling outside his door before rolling over and looking at his clock. "Kami dammit, why me." he muttered, the clock read five pm a grand total of five hours sleep he had been hoping for a little for like twelve to fourteen hours worth. He grumbled as he pulled on his pants and walked to the door, he could find his shirt but who ever was outside had woken him up. He just wanted them gone as fast as possible before going back to bed. 'Hmmm, maybe I should look into making some silencing seals.' He mused before putting the thought aside and opening his front door.

The woman outside was a cat masked ANBU with long purple hair reaching down to about mid back and a ninjato over her right shoulder. He was more than a little surprised he hadn't seen Neko-chan as he had called her as a kid for almost five years. He debated being a smartass or not, on one hand he hadn't seen her for five years and she was nice to him, on the other hand she did wake him up. Oh yeah he was going to be a smartass about this. "Ohayo, Neko-chan, it's good to see you again but I'll admit I am a little hurt. I see you again for the first time in five years and no hug? You never write you never call I'm hurt, Neko-chan, your making me feel unwanted." He pouted at her and gave her the puppy dog eyes.

Yugao sighed behind her mask the order had come down from the Hokage go get Uzumaki Naruto and bring him to the council chambers. She knew this would be a head ache Naruto never did take well to orders even as a kid and considering the way he was talking to her right now she had probably just woken him up. That was a surefire way to get on his shit list even when he was a kid, she sighed again though she did feel a bit guilty. They had gotten along really well when she was first assigned to be his bodyguard she really should have called or at least a letter so she let the sarcasm slide.

"Naruto, the council wants to see you something about, Uchiha Saskue, and a sword please make your way to the Hokage tower." Naruto nodded his affirmative to her and Yugao made the hand sign for the shunsin before smirking behind her mask. "Bye for now the, Naru-chan." Before disappearing in a cloud of smoke, her pet name for him always pissed him off something fierce, just a little pay back for the sarcasm.

Naruto felt a tick mark appear over his left eye at Yugao's parting remark he just knew that was payback for earlier. Before sighing to himself and walking back inside looked like he need a shower and need to find his shirt after all, dammit and he'd been having such a good sleep too.

**XXX**

Naruto could honestly say he hated walking down the main street of Konoha all the hatred and coldness in peoples eyes made him uncomfortable as a kid. Now that he knew the reason though their eyes just made him angry, was it really that hard to see the difference between him and a fox the size of the Hokage monument, morons. The council was worse they thought of him as subhuman lacking rights and that was what he could say about the kinder ones, people like Danzo just saw a weapon.

He sighed as he walked into the tower ignoring the Chunin guards glares, seriously he was sometimes amazed at the fact he hadn't gone completely insane by now. What with all the loneliness and isolation he figured the Old Hokage, Iruka, Tuchi, Ayame and more recently Benihime had something to do with that. He walked up to the secretary's desk seeing the young woman behind it made him smile Akane was always so nice to him. "Good evening, Akane-chan, I'm here to see the council." The woman's head snapped up before she smiled at him.

"Good evening to you to, Naruto-kun, the council will be expecting you they will be in the normal room, go up two floors and the second door on your right, good luck." The small dark haired woman waved to Naruto as he walked off, he added another person to the list of people stopping from going insane, Shihouin Akane.

The door in front of him was oak, dark oak, Naruto sighed any one who made the statement that he didn't want to be here, should go on the awards list for understatement of the millennium. Naruto almost wished he was back in the academy listening to one of Iruka's boring lectures, almost. He sighed again before knocking on the door. "Uzumaki Naruto, called by the joint council of civilian and shinobi" he said in a loud carrying voice he knew they could hear him.

Almost immediately the door swung open and Naruto fought down the urge to sigh, again, he seemed to be doing that a lot lately. It was those damn eyes again what the hell did he have to do to get away from them, the Kyuubi killed their family not him why the hell did they blame him for it ignorant bastards. Naruto could feel his teeth grinding as he fought to keep his face neutral, those eyes he hated those damn eyes.

He looked to the front of the room expecting to see his grandfather figure, the Hokage's seat was empty Naruto was nervous even if he didn't let it show. This could mean a few things one, the meeting wasn't important enough to rate the old mans time, unlikely but possible. Two the Hokage had not arrived yet that chance was almost non-existent, his Jiji was punctual to a fault. Finally three the council was going behind the Hokage's back not impossible in fact it was actually quite likely, after all it wouldn't be the first time.

Shimura Danzo smirked as he saw Naruto enter the room, Sarutobi was distracted talking with Hakate not that it would last long but if he could do this fast he would have the jinchuuriki he always wanted for Root. Then his future and as such the future of Konoha would be more than secure, with a properly conditioned Jinchuuriki under his command he could send some teams into Kiri with a decent chance to set up a puppet Mizukage for Konoha. Oh he even wanted to thank the Uchiha brat for this, the child would have to be killed off eventually he was too much of a flight risk for Konoha. After he had done some proper breeding to ensure a new more docile Uchiha clan for Konoha preferably with a wife of Danzo's choosing.

Naruto didn't even bother looking who the members of the council were, they all hated him or at least most of them did, that's all he needed to know. "Uzumaki Naruto." Started Danzo in a neutral voice. "Do you know why you have been called before this council?" Naruto fought down the urge to say because they were a bunch of arrogant assholes that couldn't seem to tell the prisoner and the jailer but held his tongue, an outburst now was not going to help him.

"No I do not, Shimura-san." 'But I am willing to bet that it's on some trumped up outrageous charge you can't prove not that you or any of the bastards really care about there being proof. So much for the will of fire and Konoha always looking out it citizens you bigoted, biased, Hypocritical bastards.' He added sarcastically in his head. Oh he really would like to tell them that, but it was not going to help his case, not that they would be able to do anything to him as all punishments for the Shinobi forces had to go through the Hokage, most of the time anyway he had heard something about some exceptions, but why make this harder than it needs to be.

"At exactly sixteen thirty today Uchiha Sasuke came to this council to make us aware you have stolen a family heirloom of his, a katana. The katana currently on your belt as a matter of fact, the council has decided that you are to be fined then return the katana. After which you will be dropped from the Shinobi program and banished, your sentence starts effect of immediately." Danzo finished smugly as Sasuke walked out from near the wall at the back of the room before holding his hand out.

"Hand over the katana dobe, don't worry it will be in good hands after all only an Uchiha can use a weapon like that." Naruto saw red, Benihime was screaming for blood and she was going to get it, the clan heads faces went pale when they saw his hand drop to Benihime's hilt. This wasn't supposed to happen they had done so much to the brat already, increased rent, food bills, anything they could get away with he was just supposed to let them vent their anger on him and roll over and die like a good demon.

Sasuke didn't understand why the council members faces went pale when Naruto's hand went to the katana's hilt, the dobe was just about to hand the blade over why would they pale. He couldn't see Naruto's footing was perfect for an Iai style strike, Naruto was planing on killing him in one blow Saskue only realized his mistake when the blade was out of the sheath and screaming towards his neck. Only luck saved him, when the door opened to admit Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Enough!" The old Hokage yelled, his voice got through to Naruto who stopped the slash before it broke the skin of Saskue's neck. Kakashi felt faint, he had to stop Naruto from almost killing Sakura earlier and now he walked in on him about to decapitate Saskue. Not that he blamed the blond, Kakashi had heard what Danzo had said before he entered the room and it sickened him. The council was made to help Konoha citizens and Shinobi not oppress them. The little voice in the back of his head once again spoke up and asked about Minato and Kushina's legacy, this time he didn't stamp it down.

The council was broken from it's momentary lapse and all the member minus Danzo started screaming about how the Uzumaki brat had tried to kill the "Last Uchiha." Naruto sheathed Benihime who still wanted the Uchiha's blood, not that Naruto disagreed he wanted it as well, but he trusted his Jiji enough to let him play this out the way he wanted. "Silence!" Sarutobi roared releasing a good deal of killing intent into the room. The civilians and Saskue had trouble breathing though Kakashi noted that Naruto did not, he filed it away into the part of his brain reserved for "everything that doesn't quite make sense about Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto felt his grandfather figure release his KI, not that it bothered him Benihime had been rather insistent that he learn how to deflect KI, considering how Sasuke and the civilians looked he could see why. Naruto could tell that the Hokage he couldn't call him his Jiji in this state, was beyond angry if he had to guess the council went behind his back, again, heads were going to roll. "For what reason was the council convened with out my knowledge or express approval?" Sarutobi's voice was cold and hard, many of the members of the Shinobi council broke out in a cold sweat. It was easy to forget sometimes, that beneath that tired old man lay the man called "The God Of Shinobi" by both his enemies and allies.

A particularly large and well dressed civilian spoke up. "Hokage-sama." He started his voice high, he knew he, along with the entire council were on thin ice. "The council was called because, Uchiha-sama." Naruto almost gagged hearing the suffix attached to Saskue's last name, most people had to work to get that suffix attached to their name. But no not Sasuke, his clan gets wiped out and all of a sudden he's Konoha's angel and him Uzumaki Naruto keeps the Kyuubi at bay for twelve going on thirteen years and all he gets is hatred and scorn. He added that to an ever lengthening list as to why he was beginning to loathe Konoha, he was starting to realize he didn't love the village just very, very few people in it.

"Has informed us that this, Brat." He made a gesture towards Naruto not bothering to keep the contempt from his voice. "Has stolen an heirloom of his family, the katana strapped to that things waist, it is an insult to call you for such a trivial matter, Hokage-sama. So we of the council thought to save you the trouble of dealing with this thief, after all a thing like this does not deserve your attention." The aging Hokage kept a straight face before opening his mouth.

"Shikaku-san." he asked his Jonin commander who was currently trying to sleep on the council desk. "What is the punishment for lying to the Hokage and village council, the maximum penalty if you please." Shikaku smirked if he knew where the Hokage was going with this then the council was in for a nasty surprise.

"The penalty, Hokage-sama, is six months probation from the ninja program followed up by a practical skills check and psychiatric evaluation, after the six moths have passed. If either is found lacking then said Shinobi is to be dropped from the program completely and have his or her chakra completely sealed so that he can not pose a threat at a later date." The Nara finished smoothly, The Hokage nodded before turning to face Saskue.

"Uchiha Sasuke, is what the council said true are you accusing, Uzumaki Naruto of stealing a family heirloom that is the katana currently strapped to his waist." Sasuke almost sighed in relief his plan was almost down the drain but it seemed that the council and even the Hokage knew his place, beneath the heels of the Uchiha.

"Yes, Hokage-sama, the dobe stole the katana on his waist from my compound and now flaunts it in front of me like he owns it." Sasuke was positively joy filled after this he would be one step closer to killing Itachi the katana was the next step. The dobe didn't need it and he wanted it, the no clan loser should feel honored to be the stepping stone of an Uchiha.

The Hokage sighed before speaking again. "Then Uchiha Sasuke I have no choice, for the crime of lying to the Hokage and the village council you are here by placed on probation in the Shinobi program for six months. Pending a full physiological and psychiatric examination at the end of said probation period, should you fail either examination then you will be forcibly removed from the Shinobi program and your chakra permanently sealed."

Naruto wished he had a camera Sasuke's eyes were bugging out of his head while his jaw got acquainted with the ground and from what he could see most of the council was not much better. Unfortunately he had to make do with a mental picture that he would cherish for the rest of his days, though he did still lament that he didn't have a camera, this was prime blackmail material right here.

"That will be all, Uzumaki-san, neither I nor the council will need you again tonight you are free to go." Naruto didn't look a gift horse in the mouth and high tailed it out of the meeting chamber before anyone could stop him. "Now then." Sarutobi turned a deadly gaze on the council. "Lets talk about who committed treason by commanding and trying to punish one of my ninja with out my consent, shall we?" The council paled again.

**XXX**

It was almost four hours later when Kakashi got out of the council meeting and it was safe to say he had not been more disgusted in anybody in a long time. Naruto only had the Hokage and for some reason Nara Shikaku as allies, everyone else was out to get his blond student there was no other way to put it. Though Kakashi did wonder why the Nara cared about Naruto then again he was a smart man and anyone halfway competent could see the link between Naruto and his father so maybe that was it.

The actual council meeting was a farce though, after Naruto had left and the Hokage explained that HE had gotten the katana for Naruto as a birthday present when he was seven. The council had began insisting that Naruto hand the katana over to Sasuke not even caring they had been lied to, Kakashi guessed and rightly, that they just wanted to make Naruto as miserable as humanly possible.

Having Sasuke the so called "Last Uchiha" feeling indebted to them was just a handy extra for them, it made him sick, when they had gotten on to the subject of Sasuke's probation. The council or at least most of it had demanded of the Hokage that it be revoked. When asked why the only answer that they gave was that the last Uchiha shouldn't be held to the same standards as the demon brat, when Sarutobi agreed they looked like Christmas had come early. Right up until the aging Hokage had said that as a future clan head, Sasuke needed to be held to higher standards then Naruto.

The council had quickly dropped the subject after that and left it lie, after which came an inevitable bout of the civilians trying to pass a law that made all stores in Konoha charge Naruto at triple the standard price. There reasoning was that any store that was seen doing business with him may become less frequented then others and as such should be compensated appropriately, following that was Danzo's attempts to draft Naruto into his privet security force.

Kakashi sighed as he saw his apartment come into view he had never seen that much corruption in one room at one time in a long time, he stopped walking and made the hand sign for the Shunshin no jutsu. He quickly disappeared in a cloud of smoke after that he needed to get drunk and fast, but before he did he left a letter in each of his teams mail boxes detailing where and when to meet there new sensei's for the next six months.

**Naruto's Apartment five am**

Naruto yawned as he pulled himself out of bed, five am he'd gone straight back to bed as soon as the Hokage had gotten him out of the council meeting. So he figured about seven pm to five am ten hours of straight uninterrupted sleep add that to the five hours previous and boom, you got fifteen hours sleep he was in a good mood. Naruto briefly considered going back to bed, before discarding the idea he really didn't need to sleep anymore anyway might as well get up and start the day after all. He grabbed a towel off his door and headed into his bathroom for a quick shower, it was times like this Naruto wished he knew some kind of solid replication technique so he could have a shower and have his clone make him breakfast.

He slipped on his haori and slipped Benihime into his sash as he walked into the kitchen, ah same old morning same old kitchen, same old table, same old fridge, same old fry pan, same old Neko-chan using said fry pan. 'Wait back that up a second.' Naruto thought to himself. "same old kitchen, same old table, same old fridge, same old fry pan, same old Neko-chan using said fry pan." ' Yep that last one is definitely the odd one out.' But the fact was right in front of him, just like when he was seven a tall woman in everyday clothing was cooking pancakes. Her purple hair done up in a pony tail, she must have heard him because she turned around and there was Uzuki Yugao standing in the middle of his kitchen just like when he was seven, just like nothing had ever changed.

"Morning Naru-chan, glad to see your up bright and early." The woman said in a chipper voice. Naruto just stood in a state of mild shock trying to decide exactly what had happened to him, had he taken any violent hits to the head lately because he couldn't remember them if he did. So the blond summoned up his strength and asked the one question, a person asks when someone they care about brakes into your apartment to cook you breakfast, tasty breakfast too if the smell was any thing to go by.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked sounding confused, after all how many people ANBU or other wise break into his apartment to make him breakfast.

Yugao resisted the urge to laugh at Naruto's confused expression sure she could have waited until ten am to see him but so what. Yugao actually liked Naruto she was one of the few ANBU guards that he had that did, that and the chance to screw with him were to great to ignore. "Never mind that right now do you want pancakes or not?" Naruto sat down robotically and started eating anyone else would be getting an earful about why they broke into his apartment but if nothing else he remembered one thing about his one time ANBU guard, her temper was legendary do not piss her off.

So he sat down and tried, keyword tried, to figure out why she broke into his apartment surely not to just make him breakfast, not that it wouldn't be flattering but seven years and she didn't do it once then out of the blue no something was up. "Why are you here anyway? Yugao." He was genuinely confused but looking at the smile on her face chilled him to the bone with fear, that kind of smile was something he expected to see on the face of the shinigami on the day he died, the I got you now and you have no escape, abandon all hope kind of smile.

Yugao's smile got even wider and if possible creepier. "Glad you asked, Naru-chan." Naruto's eye brows furrowed at the nickname he hadn't been called that since he was seven dammit seven. "You see after your Genin exam it was decided that you, Sasuke and Sakura, are not ready to be Genin yet." Naruto rolled his eyes he could have told them that. "So each of you is being assigned a personal teacher for the next six months to bring you up to scratch, I was chosen for you because we share the same type of weapon."

Yugao gestured at Benihime before continuing. "So we get to spend some time together for the next six months how lucky are you." She exclaimed. "Now your training regime for the next six months will be as follows, were going to work your techniques and skills for the first two months, then you'll be doing survival training for two months. Then finally we will have a review for one month and following that we will do one months worth of missions." Naruto shrugged how bad could it be, the poor, poor fool.

**XXX**

Naruto was convinced that Yugao was trying to kill him, after breakfast she had him strap on chakra weights and run ten laps, the problem was that it wasn't fifty laps of the training field it was ten laps of the village. Not even his legendary stamina was keeping him upright much longer it was nearing eight am and he was just running into training ground thirty four his new home away from home for the next six months. Yugao just stood in the center of the field smiling like a Cheshire cat. "Have a good run?" She asked trying, and failing miserably, to sound innocent.

"Your a slave driver, Neko-chan." Naruto replied in between trying to get as much air into his lungs as possible. As sweat poured down his face not even his legendary stamina could survive that kind of punishment. Sure he'd avoided ANBU for hours before but that was a careful blend of hiding, misdirection and just plain insanity not three hours of non-stop running with ten kilo's on each leg and arm with twenty on his body. For a grand total of sixty kilo's he had originally thought he could take more until he started running. Then he begun to understand what hell was and it was not fun, at the moment the unmerciful god of his universe's name was Uzuki Yugao.

"Come on then Naru-chan." Yugao said brightly let me show you what I have planed for the rest of today, her smile was a mile wide.

Naruto gave her a deadpan look. "Your enjoying my suffering way to much." Yugao's smile just got larger.

For the next two months Naruto's training consisted of strength and conditioning in the morning, until about ten am.

Skills such as Kenjutsu, Taijutsu and Ninjutsu. They found he had no aptitude for Genjutsu but he stilled studied how to break them. His training in these area's continued until three pm, by this time he felt like he wanted to die.

Three to four was a lunch break, after which from four to six was chakra control after which he was told to read a chapter of a certain book usually about strategy or politics, though Yugao did occasionally have him study dancing and etiquette as well formal address like one would in a Daimyo's court and for some strange reason the guitar though why was beyond him. Though Yugao did quiz him periodically on the books every time he got a question wrong she added a lap on to his morning run, needless to say the image in Naruto's head about a loveable big sister was quickly being replaced by a heartless and cruel demon. When the two months was up Naruto literally jumped around for joy no more of those cruel and unusual exercises no more pop quizzes no more chakra weights things were looking up, poor bastard he should know by now that fate loved fucking with him.

**XXX**

"Oww, who the hell hit me." Naruto moaned as he woke up on the forest floor. 'Wait a second, forest floor?' Naruto looked around. 'Yep definitely a forest.' The only question now was why way he in a forest a small scroll was sitting not to far away seemed to be the answer to his question. He flared his chakra in order to dispel a Genjutsu but both the scroll and forest remained unchanged that was one theory down. Naruto leaned down and picked up the scroll, after checking it over for traps he unfurled it, on it was a quick and concise message, that made him curse the world and what ever malevolent being that was controlling his fate right now the scroll said quite simply.

_'Hi there Naru-chan your probably wondering where you are right now right? Well this is where your survival training is going to take place welcome Naru-chan to training ground forty four also called the forest of death. Normally Genin are not allowed in but Kakashi said to put you in here I hope you __memorized the Katon: Akai Homura Hibana no Jutsu and Suiton: Mizu Kiyome no Jutsu. Since that's your best chance at both lighting a fire and getting clean drinking water. Okay your job for the next two months is simple Naru-chan survive, oh don't bother trying to escape if you do I'll drag you back in there or another ANBU will so don't waste your energy good luck Naru-chan! See you in two months._

_From your temporary sensei_

_Uzuki Yugao, hugs._

Naruto could feel his eye twitching in anger sure Yugao had dumped him in here but it was on Kakashi's orders. Naruto swore and oath then and there to get out of this alive before burning his sensei's Icha Icha collection. Followed by every other copy in the village so that Kakashi couldn't get another copy any time soon. His manic laughter began not long after his oath was sworn but only ended up causing more trouble when two giant spiders bigger than he was jumped down from the canopy trying to kill him. "Fuck My Life" Naruto groaned before drawing Benihime and charging them, cursing Kakashi all the while.

**XXX**

Yugao felt a chill go down her spine as she sat next to Hyate in their favorite Cafe. "Whats the problem Yugao?" He asked concerned ANBU didn't get chills down their spines no no reason.

Yugao looked at him strangely for a second. "It felt like a thousand Kakahsi's crying out in agony only to be mercilessly silenced." She shrugged it off and looked back to the menu, Kakashi's problems weren't her's.

**XXX**

At training ground seven Kakashi felt a sudden chill and then the need to store and hide all his copy's of Icha Icha and the villages and the surrounding villages along with the eminent threat of death hanging over him, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out why.

**XXX**

Naruto hid in a hollow in a tree those spiders where relentless, sure they weren't exactly much of a threat one on one but the problem was they didn't fight one on one they fought seven on one or twelve on one. A week he'd been in here a week oh he was going to get Kakashi for this, believe it!

Before moving his mind back to his immediate problem his breakfast he had been hunting a bear all morning, dangerous yes but the things were delicious and they really gave a good workout. Naruto heard the bushes next to him rustle and jumped out of his hiding spot just in time before another giant spider tied to kill him. A quick **Byakurai **solved his immediate problem as it bored through the spiders head and into it's brain.

If there was one thing just one thing he had learned in this week it was the ability to use all kido and bakudo up to number four without incantation and without losing any power like he had before. It was dead useful, he was still going to kill Kakashi but he would thank the man first, then burn his Icha Icha then kill him, after all for subjecting him to this there was no way in hell Kakashi was dying easy.

**XXX**

Kakashi felt the ever eminent threat of death over him increase, it had been doing that a lot over the last week he wondered who he had pissed off so badly.

**XXX**

**Time Skip Three Weeks Later.**

Naruto's clothes were shredded he'd lost his Haori early in the second week to a bear, his shirt and pants had several rips in them curtsey of spiders. He made a promise to himself that he would come back to training ground forty four once a week just to kill some more of the little bastards off. He'd never been so glad for the foxes healing ability since being dumped inside the forest he was fairly sure that without it he probably would have died of spider venom a dozen or so times over.

Naruto sighed as he sat down on the floor of his cave if nothing else his little bit of survival training had forced him to become excellent at Bakudo number thirty three: Kyomon. It was part of the reason he could stay in the cave after all Kyomon caused any assault against it to be repulsed it was difficult to break from the outside but easy from the inside, so far he hadn't found anything in the forest capable of breaking it.

That being said it wasn't like he had spent time looking for things that could break Kyomon that would be a little detrimental to the idea of casting it in the first place. Naruto sighed and sat down in the center of the cave before setting Benihime on his lap and meditating, Jinzen unlike what most thought was not a hard technique to use, you just had to be calm about what was going on around you and give your full focus to your Zanpaktou.

The feeling like he had been submerged in cold water hit Naruto as he appeared in the mind scape Konoha, he noticed that the cloud cover was a little, just a little bit lighter than his last visit. He felt hands go around his waist and a head nestle into his neck. Benihime's hot breath next to his ear, he could see just a little bit of vibrant red where her hair obscured his vision. "Miss me Naruto-kun?" She asked, he could tell she was smiling.

"Of course I did, Hime." He pulled away and smiled back at her Benihime could easily be one of if not the most beautiful women he had ever seen. "You know I like visiting you when ever I can after all I bet it gets lonely in the mind scape." It was true Naruto did like visiting the crimson princess whenever he got a spare moment, not just to train but just to spend time with her.

He hated being alone, sure it beat having people with those eyes looking at him but the emptiness that came with it, he just couldn't stand that feeling. If coming to the mind scape as often as he could would spare Benihime that feeling then he would come here as often as he could, it was part of the reason a selfish part he admitted, that he wanted to finish the materialization training, so that he never had to feel that way again.

The crimson princess smirked. "So what are you here for, Naruto-kun? The forest looks like it's keeping you busy. Are you really sure you should be taking a time out it looked like you were having so much fun." Benihime almost fell to the floor laughing at the horrified look on Naruto's face when she said he was having fun. Before composing herself again and giving a small smile. "So tell me what are you here for, Naruto-kun, it's dangerous to be here considering where you are right now."

Naruto regained his composure slowly having fun had the woman been watching what had been happening over the last month? "Benihime I take it you have been watching whats been happening right?" He got a nod in response and a slight smirk, Naruto could feel his eye twitch at that smirk, he loved Benihime to pieces but she could be so difficult at times. "I was hoping you could train me more, between the fox and what I've eaten over the last four days I can probably stay in here for around forty eight hours, so around thirty days total. Lets face it I am surviving at the moment but just barely, come on, Hime, I need your help."

Benihime sighed at her partners actions, though he did have a point he was just surviving at the moment. A lot of the reason for that was skill but a good twenty to thirty percent was luck, she didn't mind training him, hell she probably enjoyed it more than he did. After all she was a being born for battle and when they trained she got to fight and connect with her partner at the same time a win, win in her book.

Still what could they work on in just thirty days? She still wouldn't teach him any Hoho (lit. step method) until his body could handle it at his current age he might be able to do one or more movements using Shunpo but no more. That really took away from it's combat ability, unfortunately she wouldn't be able to teach him any Hoho for awhile as if he started to young they could cause permanent damage to his body.

That left Hakuda, Kido and Zanjutsu, Hakuda was out for the time being as it required more physical strength then Naurto had right now to kill most of the things that the forest could throw at him. Benihime could teach him more about how to add his Reiryouku to his strikes but she only had thirty days and that wasn't exactly easy. 'Guess it will have to be Zanjutsu.' Naruto could preform the Hōzuri with relative ease he had the best chance of pulling off the next attack the Ryōdan, she smirked this was going to be fun.

Naruto swallowed when he saw Benihime smirk, that never ended well for him. Naruto wondered if he ran right now and willed himself out of the mind scape would he be able to escape Benihime before she caught him?

**Time Skip One Month Later.**

Uzuki Yugao walked into the forest of death whistling a jaunty tune, ah she had her student back she hoped he enjoyed the forest of death. Oh well if he hated it, that was not her problem after it was all Kakashi's idea. Yugao took to the tree branches to look for her cute little student faster, being in ANBU and friends with Anko had it's perks one of them being absolute knowledge of the lay out of training ground forty four, well that and all the free dango.

It was too bad Anko wasn't allowed to dump her student in the forest as well, but considering her skills that would have been a death sentence so Kakashi expressly forbade it. Normally Anko wouldn't be one to listen but when it's got a sealed and signed order attached from the Hokage no less you shut the fuck up and pay attention.

Naruto could have jumped for joy he was getting the hell out of here today, He grunted as he put Benihime through a spiders skull, before tearing her back out with a spray of blood. According to Benihime he still had a lot to learn but he had finally after spending a total of five real world days inside the mind scape on and off finally gotten the Ryōdan down.

It wasn't perfect not by a long shot he still needed his opponent to be within ten meters of him before he could use it , Benihime had told him true masters of the art could use Ryodan at upwards of five hundred meters. He knew he still had a long way to go but hey it was keeping him alive right now so he wasn't going to get all upset about it.

Naruto leaned backwards as another spider jumped at him it's leg tearing away some of the skin on his cheek, he didn't even grunt in acknowledgment of the wound. Another thing the forest of death had taught him, how to ignore pain and fatigue, his right arm came up diagonally cutting off the offending leg. The blood spurted on to his face it felt warm. He smiled the spider was in perfect range, it was about to die.

It was this scene Yugao walked onto and could hardly believe her eyes the clearing her cute little student was fighting in was covered in two things corpses and blood. There had to be at least fifteen spider carcasses down there, Naruto himself was covered in blood and smiling, Yugao swallowed not that she didn't love Anko like a sister but the last thing the world needed was a miniaturized jinchuuriki version of her. Sakura, she was sure by now most likely a miniature Anko anyway, but Anko times three was enough to scare the ever living hell out of her.

Naruto smiled as he felt the blood run down his cheek and pulled Benihime's sealed form back over his head, he would get three in one go. He took a half step forward and swung the blade down letting his Reiryouku flow down the blade and collect on it's edge.** "Ryodan!"** he yelled as Benihime came down, the Reiryouku was released from the blade extending outward and bi sectioning the last three spiders.

He smiled it was only ten meters but still it was something, the Ryodan though one of the more basic Zanjutsu techniques, was according to Benihime, incredibly difficult to control. The Control of the Ryodan could be broken up into three training levels the first was simply preforming the technique regardless of distance or power.

The second was the longest stage of training where he was now it consisted of controlling the power used in the technique. As well as trying to increase the distance it could cover this stage was considered complete when the user could split a log at one hundred meters. The final level of training was putting control and precision together and being able to split solid steel at three hundred meters, after that was completed the user was considered a master of the Ryodan technique. Needless to say he had a lot to work on but hey not bad for a twelve year old right.

Yugao's jaw was making a close acquaintance with the floor Uzumaki Naruto the little lonely blond kid that she had nicknamed Naru-chan in his early years had just bi sectioned three spiders in one slash using nothing but pure skill. Kakashi was right give this kid the right training and he will be a monster on the battlefield no questions asked, still she did wonder if he could teach her that attack the Ryodan was it, or at least direct her to who taught him. That kind of attack didn't come with out proper training and lots of it though she should know any sword user in the village that could pull off something like that and yet she was drawing a blank.

Yugao noticed that Naruto was sheathing his sword and she jumped down to meet him she tucked her legs and landed lightly on the forest floor making barely a sound. "Ready to go Naru-chan?" She asked in a bright conversational tone, she wasn't surprised to see him looking at her blankly as if to say "Why are you talking? just hurry up and get me out already." Yugao rubbed the back of her head sheepishly before jumping back on to the tree and making for Konoha, she got the feeling Kakashi would regret sending the kid into the forest, she just hoped that Kakashi was the only victim of Naruto's revenge.

**XXX**

Kakashi felt that chill go up his spine again and the feeling of foreboding that had been getting ever closer grew. He seriously started thinking about going to a psychiatrist after all no one wanted him dead badly enough to make this feeling a constant right?

**XXX**

Yugao was silently impressed with Naruto, the second they had gotten back from the forest his eyes had been darting around looking for the best places to hide, ambush, gather information and assassinate from. Then again when your options were improve or die, you improved and quickly not that it diminished the amount Naruto had learned hell the kid was even walking in such a way that he could attack or defend from all angles. If these were the results maybe they should throw more Genin into the forest, she considered before discarding the idea as she was fairly certain that Naruto would have died if he wasn't a jinchuuriki, she wasn't wrong.

Though the first thing he had asked her when they had left the forest was to go to a clothing store when she had asked why he had only got new clothing two months ago. Naruto just gave her a deadpan look and pointed to his shredded shirt and pants, then replied that the forest had taught him a few things the first being the value of a mesh shirt. The weapon store she had taken them too was one that normally served ANBU but she did get on well with the owner.

"Morining Kenichi." She said waving to the brown haired man behind the counter the large man waved back before seeing Naruto and smiling.

"He needs some new clothes." It was a statement not a question, and Naruto nodded in agreement. "Custom order or do you want to see what we have?"

Naruto thought about it before asking Benihime on her opinion. 'Hime what do you think custom or normal?' The crimson princess was silent for a moment weighing there options.

'Do we have enough for a custom job?' Asked the melodious voice of the crimson princess, Naruto thought about the question for a few moments. On one hand, yes he did though he would have to neglect buying kunai and shuriken. On the other however he would have to rely on Benihime, jutsu and Kido and that could get him killed. 'What no faith in little old me? Naruto-kun I'm hurt who helped you get so strong anyway.' Naruto stifled a chuckle. 'Naruto I am your power believe in me, I told you didn't I if you can trust me I wont let a single thing happen to you.' He sighed for all the times Benihime acted like a child she was in reality far more mature than him.

He sighed "Could I get a custom job please." Kenichi nodded before taking out a note pad and pen. Before gesturing at Naruto to continue. "To start with I would like steel toed boots, I don't know why ninja's use those sandals they are so easy to stab through." Kenichi chuckled in agreement. "For the legs form fitting mottled gray pants with an extra large kunai and shuriken holder on each leg, oh could you add another compartment for explosive notes?" Yet another thing the forest had taught him never underestimate the value of a well placed explosion.

Kenichi nodded again so far what the kid had picked out was pretty standard but hey who was he to complain the more standard it was the faster he could put it together. "Would it be possible to have the pants made of mesh fibers?" Kenichi's eye brows shot up, that was a new one most ninja's outside of the ANBU thought that mesh fiber was over rated, morons. It was made to stop kunai and shuriken the things most Ninja carried in excess how the hell could something like that be useless?

"Sounds like the rest of this little out fit of yours is going to be some heavy outfitting kid." He offered looking at Naruto. "Most ninja don't start buying things made of mesh fibers until they hit late Chunin early Jonin in rank and realize how dangerous the world really is, you shooting for ANBU or something?"

This kid was something else mesh fibers and mottled gray most new Ninja don't realize at first but black is the worst colour to hide in it silhouettes you against the background and makes you a target. Mottled gray breaks your body shape up and makes you harder to discern in low light settings but how did the kid know that, Kenichi took a look at Naruto's clothing again or rather lack of clothing.

It looked like he had just come out of hell and that smell of earth it smelt like, his eyes widened, it smelt like the forest of death. That explained a lot if the kid got out of that place alive then he would know just what he needed to survive.

Naruto shook his head. "Just looking to stay alive at the moment." He admitted somewhat sheepishly, ignoring the stifled laughter from Yugao. "Back to my order, I would like a mottled gray shirt also made of the mesh fibers and a full upper body set of mesh armour to go underneath it and could I get a spiral on the back of it please."

Kenichi nodded again, this kid was starting to interest him more and more he was just so much of an unknown factor he was obviously a Genin but survived the forest of death without a team by the looks of it. Asks for what was effectively ANBU member gear, then proceeds to say he didn't want to join just survive so many impossibility's stacked one on another.

"Finally" Naruto said dreading how much the total was going to be. " I would like a full length trench coat made fully of mesh fibers with metal backing it's forearms, this time black would it also would it be possible to get a design on the back of it? Along with some storage seals on the inside of it please." Kenichi nodded it was part of the reason people took custom jobs after all so that they got something unique to them.

"Okay then could I please get four storage seals on the inside of the coat and as for the design on the back just the Kanji for crimson in red please." His request stumped both Yugao and Kenichi sure they could understand if he asked for an Uzumaki spiral, not that Naruto knew it was an Uzumaki spiral, on the back of his coat. Or even a nine tailed fox after all he was it's jinchuuriki.

Though Yugao would admit that having the nine tales would be unlike Naruto, after all who wants to advertise the fact that they have the demon that leveled some of the village. You are living in sealed inside you if anything it would make people more hostile to him, still it begged the question of why the word crimson was so important to Naruto.

Kenichi took a quick look up and down Naruto. "If that's what you want it should be ready in about a month." His eyes focused on the sword at Naruto's waist. "You any good with that blade, kid?" Naruto shrugged he wasn't bad but he wasn't a master either.

"I'm passable." He admitted, sure he was good but he wasn't some kind of sword master or anything not yet at least. Still Benihime was pushing him hard with his Zanjutsu so there was more than a fairly good chance he would end up in there ranks someday, not someday soon but someday.

Kenichi nodded he was starting to like this kid more and more. Most people would be willing to play up their skills to make themselves seem better than they really were. That kind of stuff was dangerous as most of them started to believe their own bullshit and that over confidence got them killed in the end. But the kid was willing to man up and admit that while he was good at using the blade on his belt he wasn't overconfident about it, that kind of thing took more balls than most people had.

"Kid if you ever get the chance go to Tetsu no Kuni." Naruto gave him a strange look. "Tetsu no Kuni is unique amongst the larger nations in that it doesn't have a ninja village. But no one is stupid enough to try and attack them do you know why?" Naruto shook his head. "The reason is that Tetsu no Kuni is guarded by Samurai instead of ninja, not those fakes you see running around for crime bosses and the Yakuza either. Real Samurai the kind that are capable of using chakra to enhance there attacks using both nature and shape manipulation. They are widely regarded as the finest sword users on the continent you would do well to learn from them if you ever get the chance."

Naruto nodded again and thanked Kenichi for his help, the brown haired man watched as Yugao and Naruto walked out of site. Kenichi was many things but he was a shinobi first and foremost if a retired one and seeing Naruto bought back a memory from his sensei. Looking back on it now Naruto seemed to personify what his sensei was talking about he smiled as he remembered his sensei's speech about what it took to be a true warrior.

_"Given enough time, any man may master the physical. With enough knowledge, any man may become wise. It is the true warrior who can master both...and surpass the result."_ Kenichi smiled, he had always thought his sensei was a bit crazy. After all if you masted both all physical training and mental training,then how could you surpass the result of that? It always seemed beyond reason to him then again looking at that blond haired brat he could almost believe that there was someone standing in front of him that could surpass reason along with everything else.

**Time Skip One Month Later**

Naruto leaned back as Yugao's ninjato cut up towards his face tying to take his left eye, there was a grimace of concentration on his face. Yugao was always serious in her sparing he couldn't afford to underestimate her, she was not called the best sword user in ANBU for no reason after all. Naruto wasn't under any illusions he wouldn't win this little match but that wasn't the point the point of sparing Yugao was to make him aware of his faults.

Her blade came down again, Naruto raised his steel backed forearm to meet the descending sword there was the sound of screeching metal as the blade was deflected away from his face. The sparks dancing around the point of impact, Naruto twisted Benihime and slashed at Yugao's mid section aiming to eviscerate her if the slash connected. As it happened Yugao slipped around the strike and cut at his neck Naruto swore in his head. Before using the force of his swing to plant Benihime in the ground and using the force to dodge the blow and launch a devastating heel kick at Yugao's leg, which was promptly blocked by the ANBU.

They both backed off giving themselves room to maneuver, "Feel like using that move yet Naru-chan?" Yugao taunted ever since he had told her that he couldn't teach her the Ryodan. Yugao had been trying to force him to use it against her probably to see if she could reverse engineer it so she could use the Ryodan or a bastardized version of it anyway. Naruto grimace increased in size, he didn't have enough control over Ryodan to use it in sparing yet, sure he could pull the attack off but he couldn't control the force behind it. If he used it now one of three things would happen, one Yuago would dodge it, two she would try to dodge and lose a limb and three she tried to block the Ryodan head on and die. Not exactly the best choices any way you wanted to look at it.

Naruto charged again, Benihime slashing down from above aiming for Yugao's neck, the ninjato came up to deflect, Naruto used the force of the connecting attacks to spin and launch an attack at Yugao's now unprotected side. The ninjato came down blocking the savage blow in a shower of sparks and so back and forth they went two sword users in the middle of a dance of death.

They separated again both grinning like madmen/women before both raised their blades to charge, their breathing was torn and ragged. The alarm went off and allowed them both to relax Naruto gulped down the air like it was water as he sheathed Benihime. He never knew that Yugao was such a good swordswoman then again she did say all ANBU needed to be at least passable with their ninjato. He didn't buy that for a second, he was passable with Benihime in her sealed state probably low Chunin in terms of skill and she could easily out fight him. Not that it was surprising she was an ANBU after all but there was no way in hell she was "just passable" as she put it.

"Good job Naru-chan, your really getting better will take our first mission today, unless you want to teach me that move the Ryodan was it." Yugao said sweetly, Naruto just shook his head he was not passing out Zanjutsu techniques to anyone, hell considering they used Reiryouku not chakra and he used a Zanpaktou not a normal katana he wasn't even sure other people could be taught Zanjutsu. Yugao pouted it wasn't fair dammit she wanted that move, "Well then Naru-chan guess will go to the Hokage for your first D rank mission." Yugao said before jumping off back towards the village, Naruto just sighed, he had long since given up trying to get her to stop calling him that.

**XXX**

Yugao didn't bother knocking, she just pushed open the door to the Hokage's office. The old man looked up from his desk his face grim, Yugao stiffened she had always seen that face when he was about to send ANBU out on S rank missions. Something had gone wrong and badly, Yugao might not be active right now but she was an ANBU she needed to know what was going on and fast if it could affect the village in a bad way and from the look on her aged leaders face the information was both highly sensitive and highly problematic.

"What is the problem, Hokage-sama?" Yugao asked with a formality that she hadn't needed to use since she started training Naruto five months ago. The old Hokage stared at her for a second as if debating something inside. Before coming to a decision the old Hokage stood from his chair and looked at both her and Naruto before nodding approvingly. There was about to be some dirty business done but they were ninja and Naruto would have to get used to it eventually.

"Uzuki Yugao and Uzumaki Naruto" The aging fire shadow addressed them making them both stand up straighter. "As of zero nine hundred today we received a message from team eight led by Jonin sensei Yuuhi Kurenai who's current mission is to the land of waves." The Hokage took a deep breath. "There current assignment was to escort a bridge builder named Tazuna no last name to his home in the land of Waves. Then protect him until it's eventual completion as the client gave no more information as such the mission was labeled as a C rank." Yugao nodded she could see where this was going, Naruto kept his mouth shut which surprised her. Then again it probably shouldn't have after spending more time around the kid now he was older she knew he was nowhere near as dumb as he made out.

"The client lied to us, Gato, head of the Gato corperation had hired a team of missing ninja comprised of the demon brothers C ranker's in the bingo book and an A rank missing Ninja of Kirigakure Momochi Zabuza. Who holds the title of Kirigakure no Kijin for killing off his entire graduating class of Genin." Naruto paled a bit at this but otherwise kept up a reasonably strong facade. "In addition to another member of the group that poses as a hunter Ninja for Kirigakure, the mission I want the two of you to accept if you feel you can handle it is as back up for team eight."

"To be honest." The Hokage continued. "I want to help the people of Wave because of the financial deprivation that Gato has been inflicting on them since he took over the country's trading routes." The Hokage would have wanted to keep Naruto's innocence intact a little longer, just a little longer. But the situation in Wave was beyond delicate he couldn't send a team of ANBU for fear of retaliation from Kiri. Jonin were out as the same thing would happen, Chunin wouldn't be enough to do the job.

That left the old Sarutobi with precious little in the way of options, he wanted to help the people of wave. But Gato was also doing thing that the old Hokage couldn't approve of, human slaver, sex slaves, drug dealing and the list went on. But a Genin with a apprenticeship to a "Jonin" that he could send with out raising undo alarm.

Kakashi wanted to make a miniaturized ANBU in his three man Genin team, time to put one of them to the test, no matter how much he hated himself in doing so. "In addition to aiding team eight you have a secondary objective that must be completed, you are to conduct guerrilla warfare on Gato corporation and make it messy I want the corpses of his men to serve as a deterrent to others. In addition you are to assassinate Gato at the earliest possible opportunity along with as many of his high ranking men as possible. I want no one to be able to inherent control of an operational Gato corporation, finally Gato had been selling slaves both sex and otherwise put a stop to it permanently. You will be payed the equivalent of an S ranked mission should you complete all of the secondary objectives, however it will only be recorded as an A rank and your secondary objectives will never be recorded." The old Hokage felt dirty asking this of the child he saw as his grandson at only twelve, but it needed to be done.

Yugao looked at Naruto and saw determined eyes looking back at her. 'Good boy!' She thought viciously she wasn't happy about taking Naruto into what was about to become a war zone but it needed to be done. "Hokage-sama, I Uzuki Yugao temporary sensei to Uzumaki Naruto accept this A rank mission." The old Hokage nodded looking sad, Yugao looked to Naruto determination shined in his eyes.

"Meet me in front of the gates in one hour, pack light I would recommend sealing scrolls for most of your things." Naruto nodded and dashed out of the room as Yugao made the hand sign for the Shunshin. Yugao may have looked confident on the outside but on the inside she was more than a little worried how would Naruto react to what was effectively his first taste of black operations. She tried to console herself this is what he had been trained for but ANBU worked black ops and it broke them how would the energetic little ball of sunshine handle them?

**XXX**

Naruto turned up at the gate forty five minutes after leaving the Hokages office, he had packed light only a few dozen kunai and around a hundred shuriken not counting the back ups in his sealing scrolls. A small field medic kit and his guitar were sealed into various scrolls on his person, along with an ANBU issue mask, he wasn't a member of ANBU not by a long shot. But with the Hokage telling them that all of there secondary objectives were classified and never to be relieved to anyone it wouldn't be a bad thing for him to hide his face, he was carrying some hair dye for the same reason.

Yugao turned up less than five minutes latter, they didn't bother talking they both knew what needed to be done. Yugao made one gesture for them to leave and Naruto bolted. Then they ran right towards Wave country to do things that no one would ever hear about, Naruto despite the way he acted was not a stupid person not in the slightest. He knew the other reason that the old man wanted to help Wave was the fact that once they were liberated, they could become powerful trading partners.

Which is why both he and Yugao could never have there secondary objectives recorded, because if it ever came out that Konoha Ninja participated in "Terrorist" plots against a public company it would be damaging to the villages reputation. It really was a strange kind of irony the world operated under, black operations the things that could never see the light of day due to how sensitive they were and yet no one could do without them. Naruto put the thoughts out of his mind and followed Yugao if they hurried they should be able to make it to Wave in two days.

**Two Days Later- Wave Country**

Naruto landed on a branch above a group of thugs, he had originally wanted to find team eight first but Yugao disagreed. First thing on the agenda was indiscriminate slaughter of some of Gato's men, Naruto loosened Benihime's in her sheath before taking a deep breath. He dropped from the branch as he unsheathed her Benihime's blade glowed crimson in the sunset, the blade tore through the air and the thug under him didn't even have time to scream before the cold steel severed his spine. Naruto immediately bought the blade across his body cutting another two's stomach's open, he had a little morbid fascination towards the way the men's blood was reflected in the dying light. The final thug just turned around in time to feel Benihime go through his rib cage and into his lung. Naruto grimaced beneath his mask, that was a slow death, he withdrew Benihime and slit the man's throat, before sighing.

He felt Yugao arrive above him. "That's the third lot I've taken out, Neko, you think that's enough to get him nervous?" Naruto looked up, Yugao was decked out in full ANBU gear not that it was surprising so was he. Like the old man said the details of their secondary objectives could never come out in the open that carried with it the unspoken terms that there identity's could never be attached to anything related to the secondary objective.

Yugao looked down at the hyper active blond and the carnage that surrounded him, the standard ANBU gear he wore was stained with dry blood. Yugao smiled behind her mask so far her student was handling things well but he was right, it was time to call it quits for now, Gato should be scared enough by their little display to send more men out to the field and it would be his death. "Okay that's enough for now lets go, Oni, rendezvous at the camp in twenty, Yugao disappeared, Naruto though he was taking a different route was close behind.

**XXX**

(I wrote this segment listening to "Hopes theme" from final fantasy XIII and "This is your Home" also from FF XIII, try listening to hopes theme it go's pretty well with this scene, epically the last part.)

There joint camp was hidden in the forests surrounding the village team eight was staying in it wasn't much just two tents and a fire pit. The kind of place that could have all evidence of it's existence erased in only a few minutes and that was exactly the point, after all no one was to even know that they were doing things against Gato. Yugao dropped from the tree tops into the middle of there small camp followed by Naruto no more than a few seconds later, Yugao made a few quick hand signs **"Magen: ****Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu." **Yugao sighed before reaching up and removing her mask before motioning Naruto to do the same.

Yugao smiled at her charge. "That was some good work Naru-chan, you and I took out a total of nine groups between us." Yugao was trying to keep Naruto from reflecting on the fact that they had killed over twenty six people. "More over I got some good information listening to some of them talk, seems like Gato's men hang around in a bar down by the water front." Naruto nodded, sure it was good information but how Yugao wanted to uses it was what mattered. "The better news is that they are looking for a new waitress along with some live music." She said looking devious, Naruto broke out into a grin of his own.

"What do we do after you find out what we need to know?" Naruto inquired he was genuinely interested in what his sensei's plans were after they gained the information. Yugao's cheerful demeanor changed like it was never there to begin with, Naruto knew what she was about to say but let her continue anyway. If there was one thing he had learned about Yugao over the last few months was that she hated fighting, if there was a peaceful way to solve a situation she would take it. That didn't mean she wouldn't fight just that she preferred not to, Naruto sighed he got the feeling that the plan they would execute wouldn't be with out civilian casualties.

"After extracting the information we need, Naruto you and I will place explosive tags in excess around the bar. Then at the time when the most of Gato's men are inside we will detonate the tags, after which both you and I will kill any survivors and help any people that were caught in the blast that were not Gato's men." Yugao finished with a tone of finality, Naruto nodded before walking over to his temporary sensei and smiling at her.

"So I guess we will rendezvous with team eight in two days time then?" He tried to think of happier things and take his sensei's mind off the fact that they were going to kill a lot of people tomorrow. Some who more likely than not were only working for Gato because they didn't have any other way to make a living, a fact like that didn't excuse them but it did make it harder to kill them. Naruto knew that was what people called the Divine economy, in the end some people had to die for others to live that was just a fact of life. So Naruto tried to distract both himself and Yugao from the fact that tomorrow both their hands would be bathed in more blood than they were today.

**XXX**

A henged Naruto walked into the "Devil's Nest" a bar on the water front, it was more or less what one would expect. Large and gaudy, well at least now he knew why Yugao wanted him to learn the guitar, he was tailor made for information jobs in bar's by providing live music. He sighed as he looked at his henge's reflection in the glass, he was disguised as a man in his early twenty's dirty blond hair with a white shirt a green jacket with white diamonds embroidered on it's hem. Green pants and wearing traditional geta sandals and a green striped bucket hat, he had even changed his eye colour to gray, all in all he looked like someone completely different. He sighed again before walking into the bar guitar case on his back, though this one was not a normal case it had been specially outfitted to carry Ninja weapons and Benihime.

Naruto looked around the bar until his eyes came to rest briefly on Yugao's henged state, her hair had changed to vibrant green and her face had gotten rounder. He stifled a chuckle that his demon of a teacher could look so unassuming and dare he say it cute, before moving his gaze on to the bartender. He smiled as he walked over to the man, he was nothing special, gray hair, green eyes standard suit nothing out of the ordinary at all. "Hello, Barkeeper-san." He said in an overly friendly voice smiling at the man. The bar keep looked up at him in surprise before noticing the guitar case on Naruto's back and smiling at him.

"Here about the live music job?" The man inquired sounding gruff, Naruto smiled back and nodded though it did make him feel a bit sick as he did so, he was smiling at a man he was going to kill later he felt like scum. But he kept up his smile none the less, he was a Ninja unlike most of the kids in his class he knew what that meant from day one. At some point in time he would have to look a man in the face and lie to him while plotting his death, not that people had not done it to him, he pushed the thoughts aside time enough for self doubts and refection later, now he had a job to do.

"Indeed I am barkeep-san." He said in his best cheerful voice. The barkeeper looked him up and down before nodding to himself and looking Naruto in the eye again.

"I am going to need to see how you play first, just a formality but I cant just hire anyone who walks in the door. I need you to be both reliable and to be good at using that guitar on your back I hope you wont mind giving me and my new employee a demonstration, will you?" Naruto smiled at the barkeeper as he gestured to the now henged Yugao. "Mashiro get over here and help me judge if this new guy is any good at using the guitar." The henged Yugao nodded to the barkeeper and walked over not even sparing Naruto a second glance.

Naruto pulled the guitar case off his back and opened it inside was his guitar he would never admit it but he was grateful to Yugao for making him learn the instrument. Beside helping him on information gathering, he often just played to relax, Naruto looked up at the bartender. "Anything in particular you would like to hear?"

He asked in a conversational tone, he might not know the song they asked for but he was told that it was always polite to ask first. The old barkeep shook his head and 'Mashiro' shrugged, Naruto sighed before sitting down and placing the guitar in his lap and strumming a few random cords before smiling and launching into one of his favorite songs the Fiesta De Guerra. One of the songs he knew that only required one guitar and no backing.

(Note Fiesta De Gurra is an actual song and I do recommend listening to it.)

The song was fast and upbeat, using a foreign rhythm quick and sure strokes with the pick. He could see both the barkeep and 'Mashiro' swaying along to the rhythm, he hit the half way mark his pick moving quickly and surely through the notes his audience entrapped by the melody. The song slowed down slowly but surely his pick hit less strings as the song finished. Both the barkeeper and 'Mashiro' were looking at him with something akin to admiration he smiled and took a short bow to them smiling all the while, he wouldn't admit it but he was proud of his skill.

"So what do you think?" He asked the stunned barkeeper nonchalantly, the old barkeeper smiled at him before bursting out laughing.

"That was great kid just great and call me, Honyo, and you my young friend just got yourself a job, can you start tonight?" The aging man asked looking positively over joyed he had live music again, Naruto nodded and the his new boss smiled at him. "Whats your name anyway youngster." He asked joy still threatening to overwhelm him, his last musician had been chased out by Gato's thugs he was happy as could be to find a new one.

Naruto smiled at the older man looking at his henge. "My names Kiskue." He said sounding happy. "You can call me, Urahara Kiskue." The bartender nodded at him still looking over joyed.

"You start in three hours, Kiskue-san, I would get ready if I were you, we are going to have one rowdy night." Naruto turned around so the old man missed the look on his face. 'Your going to have a rowdy night old man, you have no idea.' Benihime hummed in agreement and sorrow.

**XXX**

Naruto sighed as he watched the bar fill with more and more people, they all looked like Gato's thugs everyone except the waitresses and the old barkeeper seemed to work for Gato. He looked out over the ever growing sea of heads towards Yugao who gave him a very brief nod of her head, she had found the information they were looking for and they would proceed as planed. Naruto stood up from his seat next to the bar, and waved to the old man who had given him the job as it were. It would have been nice if he could have told Honyo and the other waitresses about the plan, but sometimes that was what needed to happen some of the innocent people in the bar would die so that others in the country could live.

Naruto walked on to the stage that had been prepared for him, it was nothing special just a small raised platform with a chair for him to sit in. Naruto smiled as he put the guitar case down by his feet and popped it open taking out his six string classical guitar, if nothing else he would give these people some of the best music he could play as a send off. Unfortunately for now that was the best he could do for the innocent people about to get caught up in the plan, with that in mind he decided to start off with something up beat, he saw the old man smile as he heard the first strings of "Fiesta De Guerra" being played.

Yugao looked on as Naruto played to his audience she smiled briefly as she heard the cords of his first song, Fiesta De Gurra had been one of the first songs he had learned. Yugao shook her head and went back to her duties as Mashiro, it was only eight o'clock at the moment according to the old man Honyo the bar was busiest around midnight to two am. That was when the plan would be carried out, Yugao sighed again and went back to serving drinks every now and then placing an explosive seal at points on the building.

Naruto looked at the clock it was almost one am, he sighed and called for quiet from the mob of people in front of him. Surprisingly enough they listened, he sighed this would be his last song and likely the last music they would ever hear. "Okay." He said cheerfully while smiling at the crowd. "You've been one of the best audiences I have ever had." The men below erupted into cheers at that deceleration, Naruto looked around the bar there were at least three hundred people inside, not counting the employees he fought back a grimace.'

"But this will be my last song for tonight." Naruto was surprised when most of the men booed him when he said that was he really that good? "Now, now you can always come back tomorrow night and see me I will be here for at least another month." The men cheered again it seemed like they really did like his music, Naruto smiled even though none of them knew it he had the perfect song to send them off with. "Okay this will be my last song of the night please enjoy, it's called 'Hopes theme'"

(also a real song by the way)

Most of the men made odd faces at the songs name, he didn't blame them his face had looked about the same when he had first started learning it. He smiled as his hands began to play, every chord hit perfectly and every note had a richness to it that no one could quite describe.

Yugao just stopped and listened as Naruto played it was a strange kind of song, she had never heard him play it before. It was slow and sad but it had an undercurrent of hope to it like the music was trying to tell you everything was going to be alright. She could see it from here, Naruto had a small smile on his face, Yugao started to smile herself sad with a strong undercurrent of hope that sounded like Naruto alright. Slowly the melody began to trail off as the song ended, Naruto stood up and smiled to the crowd before bowing. The men and women shouted out applause and asked for him to play the song again next time.

Naruto bowed one more time before walking off the stage and then outside, he looked up at the full moon before sighing. He felt Yugao beside him and sighed again as he turned around looking into her henge's now brown eyes, before nodding. Both of them jumped up on to the roofs opposite the bar before discarding the henge's they were wearing.

Naruto was dressed in his ripoff ANBU gear he leaned down and strapped Benihime to his back and put on his Oni mask. Then just looked to the sky and counted to one hundred, he looked back down at the building he gulped he really didn't want to do this but it had to be done, Naruto steeled his heart and said one word to start the slaughter, two fingers raised in front of his face in the Ram hand sign. "Katsu."

All hell broke loose, the building exploded from the ground up all the explosive notes that Yugao and he had placed on the building went off in three stages. First the ground floor the seals down there collapsed the exits so the people inside couldn't flee, second the tags on the main supports would go bringing the roof of the building down on the now trapped people, finally the explosive tags that were left on the ground floor would detonate killing off most if not all of the survivors.

Naruto grimaced behind his mask as he watched the last lot of tags go off he could still hear people screaming inside, he drew a kunai he wouldn't use Benihime for this. She deserved to be used in battle not what ever this was, and jumped off the roof for the final stage of the plan, to kill off any of the survivors that worked for Gato and hopefully save one or two that didn't.

**XXX**

Naruto moved amongst the burning corpses so far he had put down three of Gato's men, but he could still hear the screaming. He saw Yugao working not to far away kunai bloody Naruto took a shuddering breath and walked forward coming to another burnt corpse, he looked down. It was the body of Honyo, the barkeeper from the looks of things he had died almost instantly at least judging by the hole through his chest.

Yugao tapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, the towns people are coming time to make ourselves scarce." Naruto nodded and watched as Yugao jumped onto a near by roof and started running, Naruto rubbed the scroll containing his guitar still looking at the corpse. 'Thanks old man.' He thought 'Hope you enjoyed the music.' Before jumping onto the roof and running back to the camp site by a different route.

**XXX**

Naruto could smell the smoke even out in the woods he wondered would the screams he heard haunt him? The Mizuki incident didn't, then again Mizuki was trying to kill him some of those people were simply wrong time wrong place like Honyo. Would the old mans laughter haunt his dreams how about the waitresses would their faces haunt his waking hours. Naruto shook off his, admittedly, morbid thoughts there would be time to wonder about his possibly decreasing mental stability later.

Naruto jumped into the campsite opposite Yugao who was standing and waiting for him, as soon as he landed Yugao started making hand signs to hide the camp. **"Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu." **Naruto reached up and took his mask off before throwing some kindling in the fire pit then sitting down next to a wood pile ready to throw the larger pieces on when needed. Yugao stood looking at him for a minute before sitting down opposite Naruto and removing her mask and sighing, she looked over at the little kid she had been training and gave him her best smile. "You did good Naru-chan, you did good."

Naruto just looked back not smiling. "Was it worth it?" He said in what was close to a monotone, Yugao almost flinched hearing the dead sounding voice coming out of Naruto's mouth. Before sighing and looking at the fire for a second as if to collect herself.

"It was." She acknowledged sighing, she was in ANBU for a reason to protect Konoha from it's enemies and help it's people. But doing things like this seeing innocent people die because against the whole their lives were insignificant that was one thing she had never gotten used to and prayed she never did. Naruto shot her a curious glance and Yugao sighed before elaborating. "Gato used the bar as record keeping stash." Naruto nodded. "Naturally the documents kept there weren't much but one of them referenced a major information hub located out past the docks. It seems like most of his illegal business documentation is stored there if we can break in and get out hands on the more sensitive stuff we should know the location of some of his more exotic businesses."

Naruto sighed that had been about what he had been expecting, still he had been hoping for more. "So we still meeting up with team eight in the morning?" Yugao nodded to him and Naruto stood up before walking to his tent.

"Don't forget." Yugao yelled out after him. "Inuzuka Kiba can track by scent, seal the clothes your wearing and take a bath with some of the blood cleaning agent. That way he hopefully wont be able to connect us with the explosion or anything else we do from here on out." Naruto gave a tired wave over his shoulder and went inside his tent, Kami damn it he was tired.

**XXX**

Naruto was hit by the familiar feeling of water crashing over his body as he entered his mind scape, opening his eyes he looked up the clouds seemed darker than before for some reason. It looked like it was night, what was going in that had never happened before. He grimaced before turning towards the Hokage tower, he wondered for a second if he should look for Benihime or let her come to him. Naruto felt his senses go wild and scream at him to dodge, Naruto leaped to the side as Benihime came down from a building directly behind his and slashed at his unprotected back.

Naruto looked at the crimson princess nothing seemed out of place so why would she attack him, he drew his copy of Benihime from her sheath and positioned it defensively in front of him. He watched the crimson princess in front of him with trepidation she had never acted like this before and that scared him. "Benihime are you okay, whats wrong Hime?"

The princess didn't answer and just charged him again sword aimed for his jugular. Naruto bought his own sword up to block, sparks shot out from where their blades connected, Naruto pointed his index finger at Benihime **"Hado#4:Byakurai"** the white lightning lanced out looking to pierce the Zanpaktou spirit. In an incredible display of both skill and coordination Benihime leaned backwards and just let the attack pass her by using the absolute thinnest of margins for her dodge.

Naruto grimaced, this was ridiculous she had dodged his Kido at point blank range, but the one question remained why, why was she doing this? Naruto charged swinging his sword down at Benihime's dominant arm trying to end the fight by disarming her. He saw a small smile on her face as her sword came up to meet his, he twisted his neck the **Hōzuri **that Benihime aimed at him cut his cheek instead of above his eyebrow like Benihime was aiming for.

Benihime disengaged as she spun letting out a high kick at Naruto's head that he countered by leaning back and twisting and trying to give her a round house kick to the stomach, Benihime blocked it with an open palm. Both Zanpaktou and her wielder backed away from each other, Naruto breathing hard, Benihime not even sweating.

Naruto's eyes widened as Benihime licked the blade of her sealed self, before giving him a bloodthirsty grin. "Okiro, Benihime" The Katana in her hands changed into it's shikai state, Naruto grimaced before pointing his blades sealed form at the crimson princess. "Okiro, Benihime" His own blade changed to match hers they screamed a war cry at each other and charged again.

The newly formed shikai blades clashed in the main street of the empty Konoha, Naruto's sword cut towards Benihime up, down, left, right, parry, disengage, use Kido. The fight sped up Benihime's sword struck faster and Naruto was hard pressed to do anything but defend, the crimson princess jumped into the air and began spinning as she came down. Her sword crashed into his forcing itself straight through his guard and cutting him badly on his chest, before her sword came down again and locked with his Benihime smiled at Naruto as her sword began to glow red and she whispered one word. "Nake" red light ran from her sword and blasted Naruto backwards through three buildings.

Naruto could feel the pain welling up from his wounds that last attack had given him a matching gash on the other side of his chest. 'What the hell was that?' Naruto tried to move but couldn't. 'What the hell's wrong with me, my legs they wont move, my arms won't come up, what the hell was that attack?' He could hear the rubble around him moving as someone walked over it, Benihime stopped and looked at her wielder as he tried to get up.

Naruto forced himself onto one knee and looked at the crimson princess in front of him she was still unharmed even after he threw everything he had at her she didn't even have a single injury. Kami dammit that was pathetic that was just to damn pathetic, he forced himself onto two feet and raised his sword before him in trembling hands. Benihime looked at him before slashing at him again the force of the hit sent him through what was left of the building and back onto the street.

Benihime just walked out of the destroyed building like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Naruto struggled to get back on his feet. "This is pathetic, Naruto, like this your absolutely pathetic. You didn't like what you had to do earlier? So what, if you hate what you have to do then become stronger so you don't have to do things that way. All that I see reflected in you right now is worthless fear, that is what is stopping you from advancing, making you hesitate didn't I tell you when when we first met _'_Abandon your fear. Look forward. Move forward and never stop. You'll age if you pull back. You'll die if you hesitate.' Have you already forgotten my words Naruto?"

Benihime looked on as Naruto struggled to stand before raising her released state over her own head where it began to glow red. "Thanks to the fact you had to kill people that you deemed as innocent you have stopped moving forward I wont put up with that, Naruto. That which is holding you back right now is naught but worthless fear and it is all I can see reflected in your blade can you understand, Naruto? Why your blade reflects your fears, LOOK." Benihime screamed at him and pointed at the heavens above them the clouds in the sky was black no clouds were there anymore no light nothing simply an endless inky blackness above.

"Because you gave into your fear, yes the rain clouds have stopped gathering but in exchange this world has become devoid of light." Benihime yelled at him in anger. "It is all because you cannot move forward, Naruto, tell me have you reached the limits of your resolve? In our battle earlier all your sword spoke to me of is absurd fears, how disappointing it was, when you dodged you were afraid of getting cut, when you attacked you were afraid of cutting me, even when you blocked you were afraid of dying."

The red light of her released state grew brighter as Benihime continued talking. "Yes, right now all your sword speaks to me of is absurd fear. That is not what is necessary in battle is not fear nothing can be born of that. If you dodge I wont let them cut me, when you block I will not die and when you attack You will CUT them." Her shikai began to glow even brighter the red light taking on the crimson color of blood in the now black world. "Well? Can't you see it, Naruto, my resolve to cut you reflected in my blade."

Naruto looked at Benihime for a second before standing he could still feel his legs buckling beneath him, his arms could barely move. He brought the shikai state of Benihime back over his head the stance he normally reserved for the Ryodan. Channeling Reiryouku into the blade pushing more and more into it, was Benihime right was he really this pathetic? His own sword began to glow red and call out to the one in Benihime hands, the crimson princess gave him the first honest smile she had since he arrived and he found one on his own face in return. "It seems like you can still muster the resolve to move forward, Naruto." She said in her sing song voice before her smile turned feral. "Let me test just how far you can go with it!" Benihime and Naruto both swung their blades at the other.

Naruto wasn't sure what the attack he was using was but it sure as hell wasn't the Ryodan crimson light like the night he killed Mizuki flashed out from his blade to meet Benihime's own light. The two forces collided and fought for dominance each straining against the other, before canceling each other out and destroying their surroundings.

Benihime stood at one edge of the crater that there attacks had created, it formed a giant X in the middle of the mind scape not that it really mattered the mind scape would just repair itself eventually. Benihime used shunpo to reach her master who was barely holding onto his consciousness before hugging him. "You did good, Naruto-kun, you did good. See you can still move forward." Benihime's said smiling at him, the holes in the cloud cover above were pushing through sunlight once again.

"Thank you, Benihime" Naruto gave her a weak smile before passing out. Benihime smiled and laughed to herself, he didn't have to be thankful to her. After all she was his partner and he was her everything she would always do her best to protect him no matter what.

**XXX**

Naruto felt oddly refreshed when he woke up the next morning, though he guessed it probably had something to do with Benihime questioning his resolve to move forward in addition to kicking his ass. He couldn't even be angry at the crimson princess as in the end everything she did was to help him move forward and protect him from the trials ahead. He smiled to himself as he walked out of his tent and jumped in the nearby river after all Yugao was right Kiba could track by scent no need to have him finding out about their extra activity's on the mission.

Yugao woke up to the sounds of splashing water before groaning she really wasn't a morning person but then again she was meeting team eight today. Yugao drew herself sluggishly out of her sleeping bag, she wondered how Naruto was doing after last night. The blond that she had been with for the last five months didn't seem to take what they did well, not that it was surprising the first time she had done things like that she couldn't sleep properly for a week. It took a few months of therapy before she could do her job again, killing innocents was never easy and despite what people said it didn't get easier over time and if it did get easier for some people then they were monsters.

Naruto put on his normal clothing though he did debate about the trench coat, before putting it on anyway, the steel guards on the arms were just too useful for him not to wear the coat at almost all times. He slung Benihime over his back and refilled his explosive note pouches, he would need to see Kenichi-san about getting some more he noted before turning to see Yugao coming out of her tent. He almost laughed at her disheveled state, let it never be said that his teacher Uzuki Yugao is a morning person.

While Yugao bathed Naruto busied himself packing up and erasing all traces of the camp and sealing the tents into a storage scroll on his belt. He looked around Yugao was still bathing Naruto sighed before drawing Benihime and placing her on his lap, he had time for a quick chat after all. 'Hime? You there Hime?' He could hear the sounds of Benihime grumbling as she woke up, he stifled another laugh he found it quite cute. 'I am, Naruto-kun, anything you wanted?' came the sleepy sounding voice inside his head.

'Nothing really just thanks for beating the hell out of me I think I needed that.' He let the silence stretch for a few seconds. 'You know I never actually pictured myself saying that to someone "thank you for kicking the ever living crap out of me. It really put me back on the straight and narrow" I honestly can't believe I said that.' He heard the musical laughter coming from Benihime, Naruto felt relieved he didn't want her brooding on the fact she hurt him. Even if it was for a good reason, she would probably do it to, it would be just like her after all.

'Look alive, Naruto-kun, your sensei's back and I think she will want to know your alright with what you had to do last night, you are okay with it right?' Naruto gave a mental grimace was he alright with what he did probably not even after Benihime had beaten the emo out of him what they did still didn't feel right to him and he told Benihime as much. The crimson princess sighed before considering her partners problem, killing innocent people would never be easy for him.

Not that it should be she would be appalled with him if it ever became so but he might have to do it again and she would need to help give him a reason to live with himself for doing so.'Naruto-kun do you know how many people live in Wave?' Naruto gave her a negative he was sure that the Ninja academy probably had a lesson on it somewhere but he couldn't remember. Benihime went through Naruto's old memory's looking for what she needed she smiled at finding it. 'Naruto-kun, the land of waves is home to almost nine thousand people.'

Naruto's eyes widened a small Island like this had close to nine thousand people on it but the mission parameters put Gato's men at around eight hundred. How could only eight hundred men control over ten times that many people? He asked Benihime as much the crimson princess considered her answer carefully before replying.

'The people are scared of them, Naruto-kun, I don't know how but Gato took away this country's hope. That and they are scared of dying those thugs you killed off have weapons and likely some experience, no match for even a Genin ninja but they could easily kill most people in wave. That is why the Hokage told you not to let anyone inherit control of a functioning Gato corporation because they would just get more men and do this again. It is also why you were told to assassinate Gato because someone who does things like this doesn't deserve life.' Benihime finished almost snarling in distaste at what Gato had and was doing.

The crimson princess took a deep breath this to what she needed to get across to him, Naruto had led a hard life he could understand what she was about to tell him or at least she hoped he could. 'Naruto-kun not counting Gato's men how many people were in that bar last night' She asked not unkindly, Naruto thought about it for a second before sighing. 'Around ten to fifteen.' He sent back sighing again as he remembered the old barkeeper's face.

'Naruto-kun, tell me something is it possible to save everyone?' Benihime asked sounding sad, Naruto almost snorted in disbelief of course you couldn't save everyone that was just a child's dream and impossibility amongst impossibility's. His breath caught in his throat he understood what Benihime was trying to tell him now, he didn't like it but he understood.

'That's right, Naruto-kun, you can't save everyone that is just an impossible dream. So what I need to ask you next is if you can't save everyone then what is the right answer when it comes to saving others?' Naruto grimaced what was the right answer when one could not save everyone, not the idealistic answer that he would like to give her what was the right answer.

'The right answer, Benihime-chan, is that when you can't save everyone, is to save as many people as possible regardless of the cost.' He could feel the sadness coming off the crimson princess as he gave his answer to her feeling mildly disgusted with himself. He sighed before relaxing as he heard Benihime's voice again.

'That's right, Naruto-kun, that is the right answer when you can't save everyone. However I won't tell you that it is a good thing either, it simply is.' Naruto could feel the sadness that permeated Benihime's every word as she said that, before she sighed.

'But how do you live with yourself after condemning innocent people to death.' He asked the person who was closest to his heart.

Benihime sighed at the question before answering. 'Naruto-kun, in wave what are you fighting for? Is it because of your duty as a shinobi? To test yourself and your strength? Or to help the people of Wave find a better future.' Naruto considered the question it wasn't exactly an easy one to answer, why was he fighting was it his orders. Naruto shook that thought aside he had seen all the poverty that Gato had put these people through he wanted to help them.

'I am fighting because I want to help them.' He spoke back to the crimson princess on his lap, before he heard her sigh.

'Then if you are fighting to help them, Naruto-kun, if the cost of freeing Wave from Gato is the fifteen lives if the innocent people in that bar a good price to pay?' Naruto considered the question was fifteen lives in exchange for almost nine thousand a good trade of course it was that didn't make it any less bitter though.

Benihime heard his thoughts and chuckled 'Of course it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, Naruto-kun, if it didn't then you would be worse than the person you are trying to get rid of. When you kill someone, Naruto, ask yourself what your killing them for and then ask yourself if your willing to keep killing for that goal.'

Naruto thought about what had happened last night, the bar the explosion was it worth it were those fifteen lives he took that didn't deserve to die worth it. Yes he decided they were if fifteen had to die for nine thousand to live than that was a good trade no matter how bitter it made him feel. Benihime acknowledged that he didn't have to like it.

'Naruto-kun, I told you last night didn't I if you don't like the way you had to do things last night then become strong enough not to have to do things that way. If you gain enough power to stop that from happening then great but just make sure you gain and then use that power for the right reasons or else you will be no better than Gato.'

Naruto smiled trust Benihime to give him good advice and better yet help him solve a problem that he would probably have been thrashing out on his own for weeks. 'Thank's Hime.' He just got a laugh in return, before standing up and looking at his sensei.

Yuago looked into Naruto's cerulean blue eyes, they were so full of life so different than what they were last night. "Ready to go sensei?" The blond haired wonder that she called her student asked, Yugao smiled back at him.

"Last one there has to cook for all of the next out of Konoha mission we have together." Yugao said smiling wider before shooting off into the trees laughing at Naruto's yell of unfair. Her smile was smaller now, the kid would be fine and that fact alone warmed her heart.

**XXX**

They made fairly good time to Tazuna's house arriving shortly before seven, Yuago directed him to hide out of the way. Still close enough to be within striking distance should something go wrong, Naruto hoped it didn't they still had an information cash to raid tonight the last thing he needed was more fighting today. He almost sighed in relief when Kiba opened the door, something was going right hopefully the rest of the day would follow suit, though he doubted it.

"Who the hell are you?" Yugao sighed at the way Kiba addressed her the kid needed some lessons in etiquette. She looked him up and down, blue shinobi sandals, gray pants, fur jacket, well at least he wasn't wearing bright orange like Naruto used to though by the smell of him he could use a bath. The kid would get his team killed by a scent tracker like himself unless he started having better personal hygiene.

Kiba at the moment was trying to repress a nose bleed. 'Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, sweet Kami she is HOT.' His eye's lingered on her legs and breasts before going back to her eyes. 'Okay Kiba play it cool your an Alpha after all. An Izuzuka the pinnacle of masculinity, hell your even a ninja that doubles no triples your awesome. Just play it cool and she will be all yours and in the sack in a flash, play it smooth and cool Kiba.' As such he formulated the best follow up he could to his early statement. "L-L-Let Me invite you in p-p-pretty lady."

Naruto came very, very close to breaking all of the stealth training that Yugao had given him and the forest of death had refined and laughing his ass off. 'Smooth Kiba real smooth.' Yugao almost sighed, she heard the slight shifting of movement from Naruto's hiding place and knew it wasn't to get a better view of the situation, the kid was about to laugh his ass off.

Just what she needed another Inuzuka horn dog trying to get into her pants, a lot of Inuzuka men had tried that before it took a lot of self control not to castrate them on the spot. Still she mused she could always sic Naruto on him in a sparing match for her honor or some such and deal with him like that, Yugao filed that idea away for later it held some merit.

"My eyes are up here." She snapped as Kiba's eyes began to wander to her chest again. The Genin looked straight back up, looked like Nai-chan had put a little of the fear of righteous feminine fury into him. "I would like to speak to your Jonin sensei Yuuhi Kurenai I and my student are your back up I am Jonin Uzuki Yugao."

It was a little formal but serving in ANBU would do that to a person after all orders and such needed to be relayed in the clearest form possible. Unfortunately most of the time that meant formality's especially when you were an ANBU captain like her and regularly made reports to the Hokage and, shudder, the council.

Kiba looked her up and down again. "Are you sure, you could be an enemy ninja after all." He started drooling as his nose began to bleed. "Maybe I should strip search you just to make sure you aren't a threat to the client." Yugao resisted the urge to punch Kiba she took it all back this kid needed a dose of feminine furry and he needed it right now. Luckily for Kiba she restrained herself as much as she may like to she wasn't allowed to hurt a Genin, especially one that had a different sensei to her.

Unfortunately for Kiba however Naruto had no such complication about hitting the Inuzuka. Kiba's first indication that Naruto was hiding near by was the black and gray blur speeding out of the tree's. Right before the aforementioned blond's fist made contact with Kiba's face sending the dog loving Innuzuka back into the house and alerting everyone inside to their the presence at the door. Yugao fought down the compulsion to laugh, the blond had acted so differently when they had met again it was nice to know that there was still a spark of that impulsive little spitfire in him.

Naruto looked at the hallway that Kiba was laying in, after being unceremoniously removed from his door guarding duty's by the blonds fist. His eyebrow was twitching in frustration and more than a little anger, stupid mutt they come all the way out here to pull him and his teams ass off the fire and what do they get. His teacher gets belittled by the Inuzuka looking her up and down like a piece of meat and then he flat out asks to see her naked.

Yugao might, might be willing to over look it though he had the feeling it was more to do with some political bull crap that was the reason she didn't deck him. But oh no not him he was under no such complication and right now beating down the Inuzuka was taking priority over everything else. He took a step into the house ignoring the sounds of surprise from within, no one looked or talked to one of his precious people like that, the Inuzuka was getting neutered tonight no questions asked.

He felt a pressure on his shoulder and looked up, Yugao had her hand on him and looked stern but he could see the amusement dancing in her eyes. Oh he would get scolded for this later that he didn't doubt in the least but he could tell from the way she looked Yugao wouldn't mean a word of it. "That's enough, Naruto, time to meet the others right Nai-chan."

Naruto looked up from the slowly siting up form of Kiba and saw Kurenai, Shino and Hinata looking at him strangely, though he did note Hinata looked a little red in the face for some reason. Before he looked back down to Kiba who was looking at him in surprise before yelling what the other three were thinking. "Naruto? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Yugao sighed she could tell already this was going to be a long mission.

**One Hour Later**

"And that's why were here." Yugao finished recounting the events that led to them becoming team eights back up. Leaving out of course the sensitive and supposedly non-existent details of there secondary objectives, though Naruto didn't doubt that Kurenai would learn them soon enough. After all they were ninja's and buildings didn't just explode on there own after all, amongst all the other things that would be happening later.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, WAIT." Kiba started. "Let me get this straight, you." He pointed at Yugao and was smart enough not to let his eyes wander, especially around Kurenai, she was called a perverts worst nightmare for a reason after all. "And you." He pointed at Naruto with a disbelieving look on his face. "Were sent as our backup against Momochi Zabuza and that weird hunter nin freak guy am I right so far."

Naruto and Yugao nodded wondering where Kiba was going with this. "He is an A rank missing nin and the guy is a complete monster, hell we only got away thanks to some really fast running and timely Genjutsu cast by Kurenai-sensei. Then for backup that old man sends us some no name Jonin and the dead last dobe from the academy." He glared at Naruto for a second before continuing. "Why the hell would he do that? Some dead last loser and some stupid no name ain't gonna be any help at all against Zabuza, hell I bet I could do a better job then they will." Kiba finished his mini rant breathing deeply.

Naruto's hand twitched towards Benihime on his back, the mutt was paying for that comment okay he would admit that he was the dead last in the academy. Though mostly it was because of the teachers there sabotaging him but still both Yugao and him had come to help his ungrateful ass. Then the first thing he does is insult them, it was going to be hard to work with Kiba after that not to say he wouldn't do it but still it was obvious that Kiba didn't know how to treat his supposed comrades. More over what he said about Yugao was annoying him some no name Jonin could kick Kiba's ass any day of the week he had backup what the hell was the mutt complaining about.

Apparently he wasn't the only one thinking along these lines either as Yugao spoke up. "Oh I'm some no name Jonin am I?" She said a sickly sweet smile on her face, Naruto felt a little sorry for Kiba Yugao had that same smile on her face right before he woke up in the forest of death. "My student may have been the dead last in your academy but that counts for shit out here." She continued still in that sickly sweet tone. "We were sent as your backup for a reason, the reason being YOU can't handle the mission so we have to pick up the slack dog boy. Also let me make one thing clear, Inuzuka, if you ever insult me or, Naruto, again I can and will beat you into the floor do I make myself clear.

Naruto felt really sorry for Kiba right about now, Yugao was pissed he guessed with all that ogling her at the door then asking to see her naked. Put on top of making her skills out to seem like nothing as some no name as Kiba put it, had really pissed Yugao off. The look she was giving Kiba right now had the Inuzuka cowering in his seat not that Naruto blamed him, he would be too in Kiba's position, Yugao could be scary as hell when she wanted to be.

"Finally." Yugao continued as if she hadn't just threatened to put Kiba into hospital. "If you really think your all that hot stuff, why don't you just fight, Naruto, so we can all see just what a big man you are." Yugao finished sarcastically, 'Hmmm' she mused 'Naruto must be having more of an effect on me than I thought.'

Naruto nodded to everything Yugao said right up to the fight Naruto part where he stopped and looked up at Yugao in horror. Not at having to fight Kiba he doubted that his former classmate had been put through the same kind of hellish training he had, no he could probably win that fight. What he was horrified about was the fact Yugao wanted him to fight when they had to raid an information cash later that night. That alone was going to drain him but she wanted him to fight someone before that too, that was both cruel and unusual.

Kiba burst out laughing looking at Naruto's face after that fight him comment from Yugao. "Me fight the dead last." He almost fell out of his chair laughing. "Now that would be a one sided fight I mean come on look at him. He was pathetic at Tai,Gen and Nin jutsu then and even I can tell nothings changed I am still top dog and he is still a failure as a ninja." Kiba finished smugly, Kurenai silently nodded to herself behind him. She didn't have anything against Naruto as a person nor did she blame him for his burden but what Kiba said was true, according to all the academy reports Naruto WAS a failure of a ninja.

Naruto took a deep breath to calm himself down, though his hand did still twitch towards Benihime's hilt. The old him would have been yelling at Kiba and challenging him to a fight right about now but thanks to a crash course in being a ninja, curtsey of Yugao and the forest of death, he kept his cool. If just barely, most of him still wanted to hit Kiba for his comments but he had put up with worse over the years after all.

"And look at the katana on his back I bet he doesn't even know how to use it. After all anyone who taught this failure how to use a weapon must be a failure of a teacher not to find anyone better." Kiba was just boasting now and everyone knew it, the real question at this point was whether or not he believed his own bullshit.

Naruto's slowly lessening patience ran out at Kiba's comment about Benihime. Not that the Izuzuka knew he had insulted the person closest to Naruto though it would be debatable if he would care even if he knew. "Would you care to repeat that, Kiba?" Naruto asked in a neutral tone, he would give the moron one chance to take back what he said and if he didn't, well Naruto had no problems in beating him into the floor over this.

Kiba smirked at Naruto he loved having the opportunity to remind everyone he was top dog as he put it. "Sure" He said shrugging. "I said who ever taught you how to use that katana on your back is a failure, why you going to do something about it?" His answer came in the form of a kunai aimed at his throat, Naruto made sure to throw it slowly enough it could be dodged. After all he wasn't trying to kill Kiba just hammer a point home. Kiba threw himself to the floor to avoid the blow and looked up at Naruto in a disbelieving fashion.

He stood up from the table and looked at the Inuzuka. "Kiba, you me outside, NOW!" He yelled the last bit at Kiba who's eyes were the size of dinner plates. After all he was a clan heir no one had ever thrown an attack with a chance of killing him, that was not so for Naruto though he had been on the receiving end of attacks that could kill him for years. Naruto walked straight out the door not even waiting to hear Kiba's answer, Kiba picked himself off the floor and ran out after Naruto a snarl on his face. How dare that dead last embarrass him in front of everyone.

Tsunami walked back into the living room from the kitchen bringing with her some tea. "Hmm, where are Kiba and Naruto going?" The remaining shinobi looked away guiltily, it was true that Naruto shouldn't have attacked Kiba but by the same token Kiba shouldn't have said those things about Naruto. Kurenai thought about it for a second before reaching a compromise to tell Tsunami.

"They just need to blow off a little steam." She settled on, it wasn't technically a lie it just wasn't quite the whole truth either. Yugao stood up and looked at the open door before sighing.

"I better go and make sure they are okay." She said walking away, Kurenai followed after her.

"Making sure Kiba doesn't hurt Naruto too badly?" Kurenai could tell the boy had improved but it just wasn't possible for someone that could barely do the three academy jutsu, to pull themselves up to the level of a clan heir in that period of time. She should know as an orphan of a civilian family she had always thought it was unfair that it took so much to catch up to people born into a shinobi clan.

Yugao gave her an incredulous look, before realization dawned on her face after all no one but her and Kakashi knew just what Naruto had been through over the last five months. "Actually I am going to make sure Naruto doesn't kill Kiba and call it an 'Accident.'" Yugao finished somewhat sarcastically after all she had trained the kid for five months and he had survived, by himself no less, in the forest of death alone for two of them. If nothing else that alone should get him respect from the shinobi that he met. Kurenai just looked at her like she was crazy, Yugao kept walking after all seeing was believing in cases like these.

**XXX**

"I AM NOT BEING STUPID, AKAMARU!" Kiba yelled at the white puppy on his head. "He's the dead last the dead Kami damn last I am not apologizing." Naruto sighed while making a mental note not to ask for Kiba on any infiltration missions he may do in the future. He stopped when they got to a decent sized clearing before drawing Benihime and pointing her at Kiba.

"Well then lets get started shall we." Naruto said in a smooth silk like voice. The voice made it sound like he didn't even consider the other person an opponent just an object. One that needed to be gotten rid of in short order, not that he actually believed that Kiba wasn't an opponent he most assuredly was, but the voice was a form of psychological warfare. By sounding like he dismissed the person in front of him as a threat they got angry and if there was one thing Yugao had hammered into him it was that an angry opponent wasn't much of an opponent at all.

Kiba bristled the dead last wasn't even treating him like a threat, that was just insulting.** "Tsūga" **Naruto's eyes widened as he saw the drill like attack coming at him, he could see a way to neutralize it already, if he didn't mind killing Kiba that was. As things stood he jumped away from the center of the impact his eyes widened again, Kiba literally tore through the ground leaving a tunnel in the earth Naruto grimaced this was going to be harder than he thought. Maybe he really wasn't giving Kiba enough credit when he thought about his skills.

Naruto looked around for a second at the clearing Kiba was looking at him a victorious smirk on his face, Naruto cocked his head to the side why would he look victorious he missed. His eyes widened in realization as he threw himself to the left to avoid the drill like blow from behind. The attack hit him on his left side he felt his skin being ripped off and blood running down his side. He was extra glad he had payed the extra for those mesh fibers now if that attack could tear open his skin with them on he shuddered to think of what it would have done to him without them.

He smiled at Kiba "I forgot about your master, I won't make that mistake again." He loved the look on Kiba's face when he said Akamaru was his master, the outrage on it was absolutely priceless. Still his witty banter had another reason behind it as well he was finally ready to use it. He smiled as Kiba opened his mouth to yell back Naruto took his chance and slashed Benihime towards the dog user. **"Hōzuri" **blood shot out of Kiba's forehead blinding him in one eye, Naruto's smile turned bloodthirsty there went Kiba's sense of depth perception this fight was over.

"Arrrgg, What the hell did you do!" Kiba screamed at Naruto he couldn't see out of his right eye anymore, blood kept pouring down into it and it wouldn't stop.

Naruto smirked at his bleeding opponent as he watched Kiba try to wipe the blood away. "You know, Kiba" He said conversationally. "Head wounds do bleed a lot." Naruto's right leg went forward and bent a little. "If you don't have any cauterizing medicine then." He charged sword leading the way. "THERE'S NO POINT IN WIPING." The bloodthirsty smile on Naruto's face only widened at the shocked look on Kiba's.

Kurenai saw the lazy flick of Naruto's sword, right before blood started pouring from a wound on Kiba's head. She was shocked how the hell did something like that even happen, she had heard that some samurai in Tetsu no Kuni could do that but Naruto had never been trained by a samurai, right? Her head flicked to Yugao who was watching with a proud smile on her face. "And that is why I love teaching the brat." She said looking at Kurenai with a small smirk in place. "He just never stops surprising a person."

Naruto slashed downwards at Kiba's head, the Inuzuka dodged to his left rolling out of the way. Benihime came back around in a vicious arc at Kiba's arm; the Inuzuka Genin pulled out a kunai and stopped Benihime head on. They were close enough now Kiba could see the bloodlust in Naruto's eyes and it scared him, beneath the surface however Naruto's mind was working a million miles a minute. If he stayed in a weapon lock with Kiba, Akamaru would get him from behind and if he tried to fend off Akamaru, Kiba would get him. He wasn't exactly in the best of positions right now, Naruto's eyes focused on the kunai holding back Benihime that could work. It would mean showing a little more than he was comfortable with to Kurenai but it would work.

"You know, Kiba, stopping my katana head on is pretty brave of you." Naruto praised, Kiba smirked and opened his mouth but was cut off. "Yep you've got some big cojones doing that but." Naruto's grin turned feral. "But my katana ain't so sweet you can block her completely with just a crappy KUNAI" Naruto yelled and sent some of his Reiryouku through Benihime's sealed form.

Kiba's smirk turned into a look of horror as the katana in Naruto's hands sliced through his kunai like a hot knife through butter before slicing into his chest and cutting him open from left shoulder to right hip. Though in Naruto's defense it was a shallow cut Kiba was in no danger of dying.

Naruto threw Benihime up into the air and rushed forward, he placed his right hand on Kiba's left side and pivoted sending Reiryouku through the palm and slamming it into Kiba's body. **"Tessho" **The palm strike plowed into the surprised Inuzuka's body and sent him flying like a rag doll across the clearing, Naruto wasn't about to waste this opportunity this little sparing match was over. **"Bakudō#4: ****Hainawa" ****The yellow energy ribbon shot straight up and gripped Benihime's hilt, Naruto yanked the katana back down into his grip and placed the point of her blade at Kiba's throat. "My win don't you think Kiba now maybe you would like to tell me who the failure is?"**

**Kurenai's jaw was making very close acquaintances with the floor at this point. She did not just see that, that did not just happen there was no way in hell that just happened. But as much as she tried to deny it the more the truth became more and more glaringly apparent. Naruto the dead last of his graduating class of Genin had just taken Kiba apart using nothing but Taijutsu and weapons discounting ****the strange supplementary Jutsu. The very thing Kiba was the, admittedly self-proclaimed, best at using and then there was that jutsu at the end what was that? More and more questions started piling up and she got the feeling that it was just the tip of the ice burg.**

**Naruto gave Kurenai and Yugao a cheery wave as he walked out of the clearing leaving a beaten and dumbfounded Kiba behind. Kurenai turned to Yugao who was trying and failing to hide the amusement in her eyes. "I think we need to talk." Yugao just nodded her head.**

**Naruto stopped just out of sight from the Jonin's that win hadn't come without a price, namely the injury he had sustained to his left side. Naruto sighed as he began to walk forward towards the house, he had let his arrogance get the best of him in that fight and because he kept all his attention on Kiba, Akamaru found it easy to get the drop on him. Naruto grimaced before rubbing Benihime's hilt one way or the other it wouldn't happen again.**

**Time Skip 1927/7:27pm Information Cash**

The sky was over cast obscuring the light of the moon, for Naruto and Yugao this was a good thing. The information cash they were about to raid was situated in the center of the warehouse district on the docks; fortunately there weren't any guards outside the warehouse itself. Unfortunately Yugao had seen almost fifty go inside over the course of the last hour Naruto didn't have any problems in killing them but fifty against two was bad odds ninja's or not.

He contemplated it for a second if he was trying to kill fifty people inside a building without fighting them first how would he go about it? He thought about it for a second and decided to go with using explosive tags again so what if it was uninspired it worked. It would require him to kill anyone he met silently though. "Hmm a ninja that actually uses stealth I wonder how rare those are." He muttered from beneath his Oni mask the mask distorting his voice, it was an unfortunate fact he had picked up on most ninja seemed to stay out in the open and fight just using flashy jutsu.

He should know he used to be one of them when Yugao had started training him, the forest of death had quickly beaten it out of him and reinforced the need for stealth. He felt the radio in his ear buzz. "This is, Neko, can you hear me,Oni." Naruto muttered a quick affirmative. "Good we are entering in ten find and store all incriminating documents into the storage scrolls. After which we will vacate the building and destroy it."

Naruto nodded even though she couldn't see it. "Explosive tag plan?"

From the other side of the warehouse Yugao nodded to herself. "Got that right it might seem a little uninspired but hey it works right." Yugao paused for a second biting her lip under her mask. "Are you going to be okay doing this?" She remembered the look in his eyes after the bar; no child should have that look in their eyes.

Naruto thought back to the asskicking he had been treated to by Benihime no way was he going through that again. "I'll be fine." Naruto said after a minute there were no innocent people inside he wouldn't have to kill people like that again. Never again if he got any say in it, Naruto breathed out "I'll be ready to go in."

Yugao could taste blood in her mouth and stopped biting her lip, she still felt very anxious about this though it wasn't right to make a child do this ninja or not. "Right we move in ten keep radio silence unless necessary, Oni." Yugao got a Hai in response and went back to planning her part of the break in.

Naruto used chakra to stick to the wall of the warehouse and ascended to the roof and walked over to a skylight. Cutting the lock pulled the glass open and re-stuck himself to the roof before closing the skylight and hanging upside-down on the inside of the building. Naruto dashed to a shadow covered spot in a corner to observe the inside of the building.

Most of it was taken up by crates with spots of clear ground and for some reason two people guarding a crate he radioed Yugao. "Neko, I've got one empty warehouse and two wannabe samurai guarding a crate idea's."

Yugao stopped rummaging through the warehouse overseer's office draw and grimaced. She hadn't been able to find anything incriminating in the offices. A guarded crate could mean a lot of things but considering how much money Gato had it was probably the entrance to an underground bunker. "Check for more guards if there are none then eliminate the current ones and destroy the bodies with a Katon jutsu. After that hide again and wait for me to show up I will make some clones to henge into the guards just make sure you can remember their descriptions.

"Understood, Neko, will execute and await further orders." Another thing Yugao had taught Naruto was proper radio etiquette, getting orders and acknowledgments across quickly and clearly so that everyone that heard them could understand. Naruto pulled back further into the shadows before walking across the wall for a better vantage point and drawing a pair of kunai, no jutsu could be used here right now it would attract to much attention. Unless you counted the corpse burning jutsu, but that only created enough of a flame to burn a corpse not like the assault jutsu he knew they would make far too much noise.

He kept to the shadows as he crept up behind the two unsuspecting dead men he was keep a sharp ear and eye out for any back up they might have so far nothing. Gato must have been very confident that no one would find the info cash or just very arrogant to only have two guards at its entrance, Naruto was betting on the latter.

He positioned himself above one of the men before dropping to the ground. The first guard didn't have time to scream as the kunai went through his skull and into his brain. Blood splashed onto Naruto's mask and clothing, great he was going to need to use the blood cleaning agent again. The second kunai was thrown at the other guard's neck cutting off his yell stillborn as he struggled to breathe through his now wrecked throat blood gurgling out of his mouth.

Naruto retrieved his two kunai even if he had extra's no point in wasting them, he looked at them for another second before reconsidering and planning to dispose of them later no point in keeping them if the smell of blood would help Kiba pick up on something. He sighed and turned back to the copses on the floor and making hand signs **"Katon: Nensho Nokori no Justu" **Naruto exhaled bring the fire jutsu to bare the bodies on the floor burned he could smell their skin sizzling and hear their bones cracking before nothing and in their place was a small pile of ash.

Naruto looked at the blood on the floor before making more hand signs **"Suton: Taki Asshuku Mizu ****Shimi no Jutsu" **He exhaled a high pressure stream of water the blood on the floor mixing the two before firing off another Katon jutsu and evaporating the water and blood before moving back to the shadows. To wait for Yugao he didn't have to wait too long the Neko masked ANBU dropped into the space that he killed the mercenary's in less than five minutes later and motioned him forward.

"Any problems?" Naruto shook his head.

"Went off without a hitch, no sounds from inside the crate though probably and entrance in the floor unless I miss my guess." He added.

"What did the two guards look like?"

"The first one was about five foot four, no shirt, black boots and an eye patch, looked about thirty two and had black hair he was also fairly well muscled." Yugao nodded fixing the image in her mind. "The other was about twenty one, white pants, purple hoody, sandals, silvery white hair, lip piercing and looked like an asshole you know the Uchiha sneer." Yugao nodded again smiling slightly behind her mask, the Uchiha sneer was the way Naruto referred to anyone with an arrogant look on their face after meeting Saskue and the other Uchiha when they were still around she couldn't call him wrong.

"Okay then." Yugao made the one day to be infamous cross shaped hand seal. **"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." **A pair of fully solid Yugao clones appeared ANBU gear and all. Naruto's mouth was hanging close to the floor, solid clones actual solid fucking clones imagine the pranking potential if he had that. The two clones made a hand seal of their own. **"Henge no Jutsu" **They said in tandem the illusion took over and two copies of the guards he had killed took the clones place.

"Neko, you have GOT to teach me that when we get back." Naruto couldn't hide the awe and desire lacing his voice as he said that.

Yugao smirked at her students tone. "We will see when we get back it is a Kinjutsu for a reason after all, were going to have to ask the Hokage before I can teach you." Naruto grumbled but agreed after all SOLID clones imagine the possibilities.

Yugao stepped towards the shipping container and pushed the door open and rushed inside both had kuani's ready to attack or defend at any moment. For naught though the container was deserted, Naruto sighed. "Bad guys just don't try like they used too." He lamented and pointed at the two doors on the floor in plain sight. "I mean they didn't even try to hide these." Yugao just nodded what could she say the kid was right she had kind of expected more.

**XXX**

Naruto breathed out as another set of thugs passed under him, he was currently stuck to the ceiling by his hands and feet waiting for the two men to leave. Yugao and he had descended into Gato's hidden and he used the word hidden lightly information storehouse. Around one hour ago and split up about fifteen minutes after that he hadn't even heard from Yugao since considering her standing order for radio silence that wasn't surprising.

But it also meant she hadn't found anything yet and they were still heading deeper into the base that was what worried him. He was still sticking on explosive tags every few minutes four or five on major walls, but what was worrying him was why the base was too large. There was no need for an information cash this large that meant it had a double function but what it was that what that worried him.

Naruto rounded another corner still sticking to the ceiling he had quickly learned this was the best way to travel around after all how many people looked up inside. Naruto stopped moving and sent chakra to his ears breathing out slowly and listened for anything suspicious. Creaking was coming from a room down the hall, along with the sound of chains? Naruto cocked his head to the side why chains and edged his was closer, he opened the door a crack and nearly threw up.

Seven women chained up and as naked as the day they were born, one with a man thrusting in and out of her, Naruto was disgusted, Benihime was screaming for blood. The woman's eyes were silently screaming for help and he saw red. The door was thrown open and he charged the man had just enough time to turn around before Benihimes sweeping arc took off his head. Blood poured from the stump on the man's neck and yet the woman was looking at him in gratitude even with the gag's in their mouths he could see the gratitude in their eyes.

Naruto sighed this was a major deviation from the plan but like Yugao told him no plan survives contact with the enemy. He would just have to work with this he wasn't about to leave them here orders or no. Naruto looked each of the seven up and down a few minor lacerations here and there, they were dirty a lot of dried seamen on their bodies but other than the lack of clothing they looked fine. Naruto looked at the gags again they most likely served a dual function the first to keep the women from screaming the second to keep them from biting off their own tongues and killing themselves.

"Neko we've got a problem." Yugao paused in the act of sealing another file into a scroll she had hit the jackpot with this. Naruto's voice sounded edgy either something had gone horribly wrong or he had found something he wished he hadn't.

"What's the situation, Oni." She asked back in full ANBU mode, she heard her student draw a shuddering breath from the other side of the raido.

"I found something that I really wished I didn't at any rate my situation at the moment is FUBAR." Yugao's brow furrowed FUBAR Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition was an ANBU term that meant exactly what it sounded like. She sighed Yugao just knew she wasn't going to like what she heard next if she even agreed with it or not.

"Let me hear it, Oni, I just really hope whatever you've done is worth the shit storm it's going to stir up." Naruto sighed before looking at the woman and steadying himself.

"I found a little room for, Gato's, men seven women. They look like sex slaves like what the old man told us, Gato, was doing. As for their condition slightly malnourished and sporting minor wounds they also lack clothing though compared against the others that's a minor concern orders, Neko." Yugao felt a flash or rage coursing through her, tempered slightly by pride in her student for keeping calm but what to do.

Getting the women out would be more than a little difficult and attract a lot of attention but she didn't think even for a second that Naruto would leave them there. She had what they needed they were about to blow the place sky high so they no longer needed to keep a low profile, there were also about fifty guards and just two of them those was not good odds. On the flip side with the data she had gathered and the statements from people who had lived through something like this at the hands of Gato she could deal a lot of damage to the corporation as a whole.

"Oni, how long did it take you to get where you are right now?" Yugao's voice was all business. "Have you finished placing all the explosive tags yet?"

"No not yet but there is a major wall in this room and I have done most of the base or at least what your plan's said were most of it anyway." Naruto responded.

"How many explosive tag balls have you got on you?" The purple haired ANBU asked.

"Ten"

"Okay then I want you to deploy three of them in your current room and then space the rest out as you see fit as you escape with the women." Naruto smiled behind his mask.

"You mean I can rescue them, you know I won't be able to keep it quiet right." He said back to his sensei.

"I know but I'll have some shadow clones run interference around the base as well as doing some myself. Make them head for the clearing where we first camped it should be relatively safe there after that wait for me. I will either meet you there or turn up shortly after with clothing for them, good thing you dyed your hair right." Naruto ran his hand through his now black hair and smiled behind his mask.

"Understood sensei I'll see you there good luck." Yugao smiled.

"You too, Naru-chan, you too." Before cutting off the connection so Naruto could complain about her choice of nick name again.

Naruto sighed at hearing Yugao's pet name for him forgetting the break of protocol before looking back at the women again the gratitude was still there but there was a tiny light of hope to. He sighed and cutting the women's arm and leg chains, the women took out there gags immediately. The brunette that was being raped when he first walked in spoke up first. "Thank you." It wasn't much but he could hear just how much gratitude lay in those two simple words.

"It's fine." He assured the woman. "You can call me, Oni, and I am going to get you outta here." Naruto said with conviction, the women's eyes widening at the declaration.

"Do you know how to get out of here?" A timid looking blond said. Naruto nodded as he turned to look at her.

"I do my team and I had the schematics for this place before we broke in, though we thought that it was just an info cash not this." He gestured to the room around them. "But more importantly we better get going someone else might turn up soon, as for where we are heading were going to a clearing about thirty minutes away from the warehouse one of my companions will meet us there with some clothes." He didn't like lying to them but if the women knew that the only people there were a kid and one other person ninja or not they might panic, in the middle of enemy territory he couldn't afford that.

Naruto unsealed three explosive tag balls and threw them at the opposite wall where they stuck like some kind of sick parody of a bee hive. "Time to leave." He said to the women and rushed out the door the seven women he had saved in hot pursuit.

**XXX**

Blood splattered over Naruto's mask, that was the fifth one he had cut down. There was no more time to use his jutsu to burn the bodies he just needed to kill his opponents quickly and efficiently. He looked down at the thug beneath him he had hit the lungs the man would die his blood would fill his lungs and come out of his mouth, yes man in front of him would drown on dry land. Naruto dispassionately positioned Benihime over the back of the thugs head and pushed down. Gray brain matter came out of his wrecked skull it was a messy death but far faster than dying of a lung wound.

He looked back the women were pale but okay and were taking weapons from the thugs he killed whether to help fight if it came down to it or kill themselves instead of being taken again he didn't know. Naruto turned his attention back to the hall way three more thugs rounded the corner and their eyes widened in rage when they saw their comrades bodies on the floor.

"Kill this mother fucker" One of them yelled as the three charged, Naruto observed them dispassionately. There katana's raised high they weren't very fast, wore no amour and their stance was beyond sloppy it was like they were asking for someone to kill them, he was happy to oblige them.

"Your full of openings" Benihime came up severing the firsts femoral artery, the second had his throat cut and the third, Benihime was rammed through his heart without remorse. Naruto kicked the cooling corpse off the end of his blade and looked back the one who had their artery cut had almost bled out he waved the women over he was no threat anymore. Before taking off again after throwing another explosive tag ball at a nearby wall.

He wasn't sure what Yugao was doing as part of her distraction but it was working, it had taken him an hour to reach the women's room while avoiding detection. So far they were almost out and it had only taken ten minutes, better yet he had only had to kill twelve people total. He did wonder what Yugao was doing as a distraction though; an explosion rocked the base, well that answered that question at least.

He rounded the last corner and stopped dead fifteen, fifteen people were guarding the exit and were looking straight at him, not good. He might have been able to take them if he had the element of surprise but he didn't. Jutsu was out he didn't know any that wouldn't harm the women too that left Kenjutsu and Kido but he didn't like his odds. Naruto sighed he could release Benihime but could he get out without doing so?

Naruto weighed his odds; the men were still looking at him warily. 'Fuck it.' He thought and pointed his left index finger at the first one. **"Hado#4 Byakurai" **The white lighting lanced into the first thug's head exploding it into gray brain matter. Before hitting the man behind him through the heart, Naruto noted that the Hado did hit a third man but lacked the ability to do more than lightly burn him. Still that was better than he had hoped, Naruto charged Benihime held at his side still sealed surprise right now was his greatest ally when it got bad enough he would awaken her.

Naruto stopped ten meters short of the remaining thirteen men and drew Benihime back over his head and took aim at where he could do the most damage. **"Ryodan" **He yelled bringing the blade down, the attack was devastating unlike the Byakurai from earlier the Ryodan was more refined unsurprising Benihime had told him he had a gift with Zanjutsu. The attacks results were gruesome three men cut in half straight down the middle; blood sprayed from the wounds their intestines and other organs now decorating the ground.

Four others were missing limbs arms or legs it didn't matter they couldn't fight anymore and were just waiting for death, nine men dead or incapacitated in less than two minutes, the other six regained their bearings and charged. Naruto grimaced he would only get off one more, his index finger extended to another thug. **"Hado#4 Byakurai" **The lance of white lightning lanced out killing the man instantly by piercing his brain and burning a hole in the wall behind him and then the others were upon him.

The women watched in awe it was an incredible display of skill, the thugs would swing and Naruto would just flow around the blow like he had never been there to begin with. Every slash or stab the thugs used was blocked or dodged and it looked amazing silver blades rising and falling Naruto attacking then defending. He was living up to his namesake he was dancing between the men and countering, like a maelstrom wielding a sword.

Naruto slipped around another attack, this was what he had been waiting for the man over balanced and Naruto made him pay for it. Benihime came up and sliced across his face taking away the man's sight before descending again and cutting his throat. Naruto leaned forward as another blade cut the air above his head, his left hand reached down to his kunai pouch the offending sword user paid for the attack with his right eye. Then with his life as the next kunai found a new home in his throat, Naruto jumped backwards panting the remaining four gave him more room looking scared.

The ones who's limbs had cut off had stopped crying out they had either died of their wounds or fallen unconscious and were bleeding out. Naruto raised Benihime again just four more he really had surprised himself he didn't think he'd get that many now he just had to finish the job. A blur of gray amour and purple hair sped past him and then Naruto got to see a true sword master at work.

It was in a word beautiful absolutely no wasted movement, Yugao's blade moved left, right, up and down in short order before being returned to the sheath on her shoulder. The last four thugs fell each clutching a fatal wound it had happened in a single instant so that was what a true master could do.

Yugao turned to her wayward student and smiled beneath her mask. "Ready to go." She addressed the woman behind him who all nodded dumbly.

"You can trust her." Naruto interjected. "She the team leader here go on." He pointed to the staircase behind Yugao the women gave him a relived look and ran out, Yugao made to follow before hearing something that made her smirk behind her mask. "Just passable my ass." Naruto muttered throwing his last explosive tag ball on to a nearby wall, Yugao just pointed to the exit before running out a grumbling Naruto following.

Outside the warehouse Yugao went with the woman and told him to take care of the rest. Naruto waited until the group was well out of sight before jumping onto a nearby tree branch. After everything he had seen down there he needed to see that place burn. Unlike the last time Naruto smiled as he made the Ram hand seal and yelled out a glee filled Katsu before leaning back to watch the warehouse burn and he did until it was nothing but ashes.

**XXX**

He arrived in the clearing almost thirty minutes later landing softly in front of Yugao. "Job done, Neko, and from the looks of it no survivors all in all a job well done wouldn't you say." Naruto finished in a happy voice he didn't like killing but those men were scum they deserved the death that they had been given and then some.

Yugao nodded to her student before sighing. "Well then, Naru-chan, job done I'll go back to Tazuna's first you still need to wash off the blood. Naruto took off his mask and smiled at Yuago.

"Sure sensei I might be back a little late though I kinda feel like watching the stars." The purple haired ANBU nodded her affirmative and smiled at him.

"You did another good job tonight, Naru-chan" Then took to the trees back to Tazuna's, Naruto ignored the use of his hated nickname he had gotten used to that. Before washing off his hair dye and sealing his clothes and putting on his day to day attire. Then laying back on the grass to watch the night sky, he must have underestimated how sleepy he really was because in seconds he was snoring under the open sky.

**XXX**

Haku sighed as he walked up a small hill too the clearing. 'If Zabuza-sama had been more careful then we could have finished this job already.' He thought.

_Flash Back Six Days Ago- Zabuza vs team 8_

_Kurenai gasped for breath looking at the demon in front of her. Under his bandages Zabuza's face was curled into a cruel smile. "I did warn you to run away Genjutsu mistress" He said in a condescending tone. Kurenai bit her lip this was beyond bad an A rank missing ninja her team were nowhere ready for this. Hell she was nowhere near ready for this, she had already engaged him once and that resulted in a nasty cut on her left arm._

_There was no way she could fight him right now she might stress on the word might have had a chance to beat him if she was alone. But with her students she didn't stand a chance Kurenai's hands blured through seals. __**"Genjutsu: Triadenai Chikaku no Yami no Jutsu." **__She yelled finishing the Genjutsu she had cast was a triple layer technique based off three lower ranked Genjutsu. The three Genjutsu deceived the senses of the users opponent different ways, this Genjutsu used them all at once and unlike the previous three in order to dispell this Genjutsu you needed to strip away three different layers rather than just one. _

_The first layer made everything seemingly move slower so that the opponent wouldn't take the attacks as seriously as they normally would. The second made it appear slightly darker making the attack harder to see and thus harder to judge it's expected trajectory. The final layer is what made the combination deadly it altered the opponents sense of sight making everything appear a half inch off where it would normally be making the opponent misjudge their stances and blocks leading to their death. It was the final part of the Genjutsu that Kurenai had used it for she couldn't beat Zabuza head on but with a little, okay a lot of luck this way had a chance._

_Kurenai pulled back her kunai and let it fly the demon of the mist saw it coming and raised his Zanbato the Kubikiribōchō to block and realized that something was wrong. The area around him was a little darker the pace of the woman's attacks seemed a little slower what was, Genjutssu. Zabuza hid the remainder of his head behind the Zanbato but still got nicked on his neck for his trouble. _

"_Nice try Genjutsu mistress but you weren't quite good enough, ehe too bad now those kiddy's are gonna die shame huh." Zabuza felt a burning sensation from his neck and let out a muffled scream what the hell was going on, he saw the smile on Kurenai's face. "What the hell did you do to me you bitch!" He yelled at the smirking crimson eyed woman._

"_Just a little poison." The red eyed beauty responded innocently. "Too bad demon of the mist looks like your number's up." Her smile turned feral as she drew out a second kunai and took aim. Two senbon needles shot out from the tree's and puncturing Zabuza's neck and seemingly killing him. Haku jumped out of his hiding place and moved to his masters side he knew poisons this needed to be treated and fast. _

"_Thanks for that, I don't think I could have killed him without your help." He grabbed Kubikiribōchō 'Time to leave.' He thought and quickly ran through some hand seals. "Thanks again" Haku disappeared in a Shunshin. _

_Kurenai's mind kicked back into gear seeing the hunter ninja had momentary stopped her train of thought. Well at least Zabuza was taken care of her eyes went wide hunters were supposed to cut off their quarry's heads and burn the body immediately that meant that. "Fuck" She muttered under her breath she needed back up and fast. _

_End Flash Back_

He noticed a kid laying in the center of the field and approached slowly on the off chance it was an enemy ninja. Zabuza had hammered the fact that any and every one he talked to could be an enemy in disguise after almost being killed by the hunter ninja whose mask he now wore he took the lesson to heart. The hunter had disguised herself as a matron at an orphanage in Mizu no Kuni she killed children with bloodlines by poisoning them, Haku and Zabuza had stayed the night when the woman realized who they were she tried to kill them.

When she realized she couldn't do it head on she killed the children and used their corpses as a distraction. Haku had never been more disgusted with someone in his life considering his own father had tried to kill him that was saying something. But it did make one of the most important lessons a shinobi can learn stick. Trust. No. One.

Haku looked down at the boy he wasn't ordinary by any stretch of the word, steel toe combat boots, mottled gray pants and shirt and a black trench coat. The katana his left hand was clutching wasn't helping his innocent look one but. But she couldn't see a head band on him so maybe he worked for Gato? Haku hated that man no matter how much power you had or how much money you amassed some things were still wrong on a fundamental level, like slavery for example something Gato was all too happy to trade in.

Haku looked at the boy again this time past the clothing, his face still had a lot of baby fat on it and three whisker marks. Bright sunny blond hair, he looked like someone Haku should know like someone who was vastly important in the past and yet she couldn't place him. Haku shrugged and shook the boys shoulder, he rolled away and muttered something about five more minutes. Haku got a twitch in one of his eyebrows Zabuza-sama did that to him on days where the man was planning to be lazy, oh no that wasn't happening here one lazy ass was more than enough thank you very much.

Haku kicked Naruto this time electing a startled cry from the blond, Naruto's eyes shot open and he looked straight at Haku. The person he was looking at was beautiful not Benihime's level of beautiful but beautiful none the less. "Tenshi." He said in a small voice looking up at Haku, Haku had to smile slightly he was sure he had been mistaken as a girl again but it was hard to be angry at someone who had just woken up and couldn't think straight.

"No I'm not you would have to be dead for us to meet if that were the case." Huka chuckled to himself watching Naruto's eyes widening in realization of what he had just said. The abashed blond rubbed the back of his head.

"Hehe, sorry about that I was just a little out of it you know just waking up and all." Naruto laughed again. Haku nodded and smiled he did like this kid. Haku held out his hand and smiled at Naruto.

"My names Haku and yours?" Naruto took Haku's hand in his and smiled back.

"Uzumaki Naruto, pleased to meet you." He said back shrugging, before noticing the basket by Haku's side.

"Haku, whats the basket for if you don't mind me asking."

Haku looked sad for a second. "A person close to my heart was hurt I was hoping to come here and gather some herbs to help them get better." Naruto nodded and looked Haku up and down for a second. Long dark hair, chocolate brown eyes and a pink kimono strange half moon designs on it, 'She' didn't look threatening.

"Do you want some help think of it as pay back for waking me up." He gave Haku a winning smile. Haku thought about it for a second on one hand if Naruto was a ninja he would be opening himself up to an attack. But by the same token if he was a ninja and thought of him just as a civilian he might be able to get some information out of him, he weighed his options.

"That would be of great help to me, Naruto-kun, thank you." Naruto blushed and scratched the back of his head embarrassed.

Haku held up a herb he had bought with him so he knew what he was looking for. "One's like these would be fine thank you, Naruto-kun." Naruto nodded his head and lamented for a second he didn't know the Kage Bunshin that would have made this so much easier.

As they worked they talked about a lot of different things, he learned that the person that Haku wanted to help was someone he viewed as an adoptive father. In return Haku learned that the sword she had seen Naruto clutching when she came into was his oldest and most valued possession.

"Naruto-kun." Haku asked sounding somewhat nervous. "Do you have any precious people?" He asked, he liked the amount of time he had spent with Naruto. Now it was time to see if the child knew what Haku thought the path to true strength was. Naruto thought about the question for a second and looked back on his life, The old Hokage, Iruka, Tuchi, Ayame, Benihime, Akane and since she entered his life again his sensei Yugao.

Naruto smiled at Haku not a huge smile like he normally gave to others but a small smile the kind he gave the old Hokage when he thought about the people he loved. "Yes." He stated firmly. "Yes I do." Though he was a little depressed about the fact he could literally count the number of people he called precious on less than ten fingers, another legacy of the village's hate.

Haku smiled back at him. "That's good." He said nodding to the blond."When a person… has something important they want to protect… that's when they can become truly strong. At least that is what I believe to be true." Naruto nodded to the black haired beauty he was beginning to see as his friend. Mostly because she never once looked at him with those eyes, yet another legacy of the village and the hate it pushed onto him making him shoulder it, because they didn't want to.

Haku stood up and held out his hand helping Naruto up and smiling brightly at him. "Well then, Naruto-kun, guess I better get going huh." Naruto nodded and smiled.

"Guess so don't want to keep that precious person waiting now do you, Haku-chan." Haku waved as he walked to the edge of the clearing before turning around.

"One last thing, Naruto-kun." Haku said before his face turned cold. "I. AM. A. **BOY!**" Naruto's jaw connected to the floor and Haku let out an evil laugh as he walked away, Benihime summed Naruto's thoughts up in one all the while laughing.

'Hehehe, That has got to be the most skilled trap I have ever seen.' Naruto just nodded dumbly in agreement.

**XXX**

Naruto walked through the front door of Tazuna's house. 'Man considering that Gato is after him shouldn't he at least LOCK the god damn door.' He thought looking at said open door before shrugging and walking further in. Team eight and Yugao along with Tazuna his daughter Tsunami and a small boy inn a bucket hat much like his Henge's. Were all sitting and eating breakfast they looked up and saw him enter Kurenai's face narrowing in a small amount of anger. "Yo." He said waving. "Who's the midget?" He asked pointing at the small boy.

Yugao sighed, Naruto the kid might be being trained to be a miniature ANBU but he still had no tact. Tsunami was the first to speak up. "This is my son Inari." She said smiling down at the small boy who in turn had a depressed look on his face. "Say hello sweety this is another one of the ninja that will be guarding your Grandpa while he builds the bridge." She said smiling brightly.

Naruto shook his head in awe while he looked at the kid that could pass for depressed. His mother was so bright and sunny maybe it was because she felt the need to be bright enough for both of them? Naruto shook the thought off he couldn't understand things like that after all he had no personal experience to draw from.

The boy looked up, Naruto noticed for the first time that he was wearing green overalls. "But why mom their all just going to die anyway. Just tell them to get out while they can or else they'll just die just like he did." Inari finished in a subdued tone, Naruto shook his head in amazement. 'I think we have a new contender for the emo of the year awards.' He looked at Inari a little closer. 'But will he be able to take down, Uchiha Saskue, the current world champion five years running?'

Kiba just looked at Inari before bursting out laughing. "Oh were gonna get killed that's a good one kid tell another joke why don't ya." He howled out in laughter.

Inari's face clouded in anger. "SHUT UP, you don't know what happened to this country and it's people. I bet you never had anything bad happen to you in your life you just got to go through it with no problems. You people!" Inari yelled at the leaf Genin and Jonin. "YOU DON"T KONW WHAT REAL SUFFERING IS" The room went quite as the people inside it stared at Inari.

Surprisingly Naruto was quite throughout the boy's rant, Yugao turned to her student he seemed to have taken that rather well. At least he hadn't blown up at Inari, yet, and considering what had happened to him in the past he would have had every right to. Unsurprisingly however Naruto was the first one to open his mouth.

"Calm down kid." He said sounding far calmer than he was. This little bastard wanted to Compare their suffering saying HE of all people didn't know suffering. There was more knowledge of suffering in Naruto's little finger than in Inari's entire body. But he fought that back down and tied to speak to the kid calmly. "We." He pointed around the room. "Are ninja do you know what that means? It means we were trained to handle things like this from a young age. Don't worry so much we will be fine and more importantly we will help your Grandpa over there finish the bridge." Naruto finished slowly. 'Even though he acts like a worthless drunk.' he added in his head.

Yugao looked at her student in concern he was hiding it well but she could tell from the way he was talking. Calmly and precisely, Naruto was beyond angry not that she blamed him she had stopped people from beating him before, he lived alone and people praised and rewarded their children for bullying him. He would have to be angry after Inari's out burst about them not knowing suffering, that was something that annoyed her too how dare some kid that they didn't even know them tell them they didn't know suffering.

Inari stared at Naruto in disbelief for a second. "You don't know anything, your just some stupid, idiot that doesn't understand pain. I bet you have some kind of perfect family back home and that they always help you around here we have no one you don't have any idea what life around here is like so don't act like you do."

Naruto fought down the urge to draw Benihime and kill the child in front of him he had a perfect family did he, he had no idea what pain was did he? "Inari you still have your mother and your grandfather don't you." Naruto started his voice deathly cold causing Inari to flinch backwards at his tone. "And yet you claim to have nothing, you conceited little BASTARD." Naruto yelled.

"You claim we don't know pain what the hell do you know about us, huh. You just wallow in your own misery alone and untroubled not even sparing a glance at the people around you, a pathetic person like you has no right to judge me and regardless of what may have happened to me in the past I am glad I didn't turn out like you." Naruto finished contempt filling his tone before he stood up and walked out of the house slamming the front door behind him.

The remaining eight people in the house just looked at the front door as Naruto walked through it not even one of them finding the strength to stand and stop him. Inari looked after the blond ninja for a minute before running up stairs his eyes warm with tears. Tsunami was livid with anger how dare that little brat say that to her son he was hurt and needed to heal not to be chewed out by some little brat.

Yugao sighed. "I am sorry for, Naruto's, behavior he has had a rough life and I think seeing Inari act that way around him while he has you two really ticked him off."

Tsunami's eyes narrowed. "What kind of life did he have to make him do something like that." She still wasn't happy about what the preteen had said but was willing to hear out Yugao's explanation.

Yugao took another breath and turned her attention to Kurenai. "Could you please take your team and look for him, if your guess is right then, Zabuza, should attack tomorrow or the day after. The last thing we need when that happens is, Naruto, not knowing what is going on." Kurenai nodded and directed her team out the door, Yugao turned her attention back to Tazuna and Tsunami.

"To put things in perspective for you, Konoha is a village of about fifteen thousand people follow me so far." Yugao asked Tsunami and Tazuna nodded their heads wondering where the purple haired woman was going with her explanation. "Naruto could count the number of people in the village that have been nice to him on his hands and before you ask no I am not joking. He was born on a dark day in our villages history when many of our ninja died and most people couldn't handle it they needed someone or something to blame."

Yugao took a breath her body shuddering she had never agreed with what had happened to Naruto and still didn't. "The villagers chose to blame Naruto for what had happened. He was an orphan and it was easier than facing the truth I guess, but what happened to him was truly horrific. The matron of the orphanage he lived out would give him no food some days and beat him on others. When there was a fire the woman locked his door and left him to burn alive, he escaped with third degree burns by breaking his window and jumping out, after the woman beat him for breaking the window."

Yugao could see the disgust on Tsunami and Tazuna's faces and this was just the tip of the iceberg. "After that he got an apartment at the age of four which to the best of my knowledge is still broken into regularly. His education was sabotaged and he was only sold rotten or out of date food at triple the price finally he was beaten yearly on his birthday." She took a deep breath it had been her first time meeting him when it had happened, she was eighteen and it was her first day in ANBU, Naruto was six.

"The first time I met, Naruto, was when he was six and it was October tenth his birthday." Yugao looked the pair in the eyes and made sure they damn well knew what Naruto had been through that day. "He was tied up and screaming for help, the other ninja around me did nothing, most of them blame him as well. A man doused in in gasoline and kerosene before a mob started stabbing him and then set him on fire." Tusnami's face held a look of horror and Tazuna looked like he wanted to vomit.

"Do you want to know the worst part." Yugao said quietly this wasn't a memory she liked revisiting. "When I put the fire out and scared the mob off I took him to the hospital and the woman behind the reception desk took one look at him and said. 'Take it away we don't help things like it here this is a place for people that deserve to be healed to be helped not monsters like him.' I have never been more disgusted in a person then I was right then. That is why, Naruto, went off at Inari he didn't like the assumptions that Inari made but I think it's more than that too. Naruto looks at Inari and see's what he might have turned out like and that scares him." Yugao finished sounding tired, she had taken great pains not to reveal anything classified. Hell that was the reason why she had asked Kurenai's team to go look for Naruto.

The last thing that she needed was Genin asking questions about Naruto's past. They would be awkward to say the least and might even get them killed depending on what they found. Yugao looked up at Tsunami and Tazuna's faces, Tsunai was crying and Tazuna looked like he wanted to vomit. That was the way people should react to people doing things like that to children. The one time Yugao had over heard a shinobi talk about beating Naruto his friends had bought him a free drink for teaching the demon it's place amongst it's betters.

Yugao had knocked all three of them out cold and given them to Ibiki for a free three week session and told the master torturer to have fun. Ibiki looked like Christmas had come early and when she had told him why the man's smile had turned to a grimace and Yugao knew those men were going to suffer. She couldn't bring herself to feel sorry for them in fact she left the T and I (Torture and Interrogation) smiling and whistling a happy tune good deed for the day done.

Yugao stood up from the table and turned towards the front door. "I should go help them look otherwise they probably wont find him." The kid had survived two months in the forest of death no way was a Genin team tracking him down with ease unless he wanted to be found. Yugao suspected he didn't and walked out the Genin and Kurenai might not be able to find him but she probably could. Probably.

**XXX**

Naruto lay down in the clearing where he met Haku just looking at the stars and full moon. One might not expect a former loudmouth, hyper active, knucklehead like Naruto to enjoy such a thing that being said a lot of people have hobbies that don't suit them. He continued to gaze at the heavens, it was something he did when he needed to think by himself, Benihime knew this and respected it though he would venture a guess that she was probably awake and ready to talk if he needed too.

He heard the soft pitter patter of light steps of grass Naruto didn't bother moving he could tell Yugao's movements anywhere they were something he had grown used too. The purple haired ANBU turned sensei just sat down next to her student and looked at the moon. "Never would have thought we would share this as a hobby." Seeing Naruto's curious look she decided to extrapolate. "Moon watching, it's something I like doing when I have time." She chuckled. "I do it so often that I guess you could call it my hobby." Naruto nodded.

Yugao didn't try to make him say anything he would start talking when he was ready. "Moon watching is your hobby huh? A play on your name a I guess." Naruto said smiling slightly. (Yugao means Moon Flower)

Yugao tossed her hair back and tried to cover her slight blush. "Maybe but maybe not." She said trying to recover some of her lost dignity.

Naruto's laugh assured her that was never going to happen. The blond settled back to watch the sky again. "You already know I'm not going to apologize and I will come back once I've cooled down so what did you come here for, Yugao?"

Yugao sighed she had been hoping to just chat for a little longer before turning to business but it wasn't to be. "It's about, Zabuza, considering the kind of damage he took. Then adding to it his estimated recovery time we think he will attack, Tazuna, within two to three days. Add to that his accomplice that fake hunter and I wanted you to know about it so that you could be ready." Naruto nodded that made sense.

"There's a reason you haven't started to walk back yet I take it this has to do with our other orders?" Naruto asked sounding tired.

Yugao nodded grimly. "Yes as, Zabuza, will most likely attack in the next few days we wont be doing any more job's until he is dead along with his accomplice. We can't let him get away or he could interfere in another Konoha operation." Naruto nodded again before sighing.

"We're going to kill, Gato, after we take care of, Zabuza, aren't we." Naruto just looked at the moon before pushing himself up to a sitting position.

Yugao nodded. "That was part of the reason I told, Nai-chan, and her students to go and look for you knowing they couldn't find you. So that when I came back with you it wouldn't look suspicious and we could do our job in peace." Naruto nodded not once taking his eyes off the moon.

"So what's our game plan?" He asked finally ready to get down to the hard part of the business they had to do.

"Zabuza or Gato?" Yugao asked in return, she wasn't asking which one he wanted to know. Yugao was asking which one Naruto wanted to hear first.

"Zabuza." Naruto responded he was the bigger threat after all.

Yugao nodded before taking a breath. "The plan or at least what we have is simple. We go dressed in our every day clothing. Can't have anyone taking to much of an interest in us after all so that means no ANBU gear for me or for you. Also we're going to have to take care of that mask of yours when we get back." Naruto raised a confused eyebrow.

"Why?" He asked confused. "You aren't going to get rid of yours are you? So why does mine need to go."

Yugao sighed that wasn't a bad argument but there were still things Naruto didn't know about the ANBU. "Yes I am going to get rid of my mask when we get back, Naru-chan." She smiled at the way his eyebrow twitched at his nickname. "One question how do you think ANBU can tell each other apart and know there skill set without talking in advance."

Naruto's face frowned in thought that was a little tricky it was obviously more than just their masks after all there had to be more Neko masks in ANBU than just Yugao's. "I don't know." He admitted. "But if I had to guess I would say something like observing each members movement and then knowing them based on body language." That was in one of the books Yugao had made him read body language was like a finger print everyone had a different way of carrying themselves. No matter how similar one person could be to another there body language would be subtlety different kind of like a fingerprint.

Yugao smiled. "That wasn't a bad guess, Naruto, but it was also wrong most people in ANBU do that." She admitted. "But it isn't how we can tell who is who. The way we do that is based on the marking on our masks I'm not the only Neko in ANBU but based on how my mask looks the others will know my skill set. That is why when a member comes back from an operation like this one their mask is destroyed and they are given a different one with another deign on it. So that the enemy can't keep tabs on the different ANBU and their skill sets based on their individual masks." Yugao finished her lecturing and smiled.

"But we're getting off track now where was I." She put her finger to her lips in a thought gesture. "Ah right about, Zabuza, the plan is quite simple in fact considering what we've got I'm not really sure you could call it a plan. Me and Kurenai, are going to take care of, Zabuza, while you and Kiba take that fake hunter. Shino and Hinata, will be guarding, Tazuna. While we fight in the event that you finish off your opponent before we do you can support us but only from long range alright. Your good, Naruto, for your age your very, very good with your katana but, Zabzua, is a former member of the seven swordsmen of the mist. The seven best sword users in Kirigakure and an A rank missing ninja in his own right at your current level in close you would just be in the way." Naruto nodded a pained look on his face.

"And, Gato, I take it we have a bit more of a plan to deal with him right?" Yugao nodded grimly.

"Yes we do as you know the team will just consist of you and me we will infiltrate his compound and assassinate him. This time it will be causing as little of a ruckus as possible we want his mercenary's alive." Naruto's eyebrow raised and he looked a little confused.

"Why do we want them alive they could attack the village wouldn't it be better if we killed them off perhaps another explosive tag trap." Naruto asked, Yugao smiled she liked it when people voiced other opinions it gave one a better perspective to work with.

"Oh don't get me wrong we do in fact want them dead but at the moment we need them alive." Yugao clarified before explaining more. "Gato, keeps a lot of money in different bank accounts and we are going to steal the access codes for them and rob him blind. But he also keeps a large amount of cash in his estate that is why we want the mercenary's alive. We dump the cash in the courtyard with explosive tags burred underground let them come out take some of the money."

Yugao smile viciously. "Then one of the mercenary's will probably get greedy and try to take too much. That will start a fight we let them kill themselves off for awhile then detonate the seals killing most if not all of the survivors. Finish off any left alive, then search the base for anything we want to take before blowing it sky high and returning to our usual mundane selves." Yugao finished brightly.

"Usual mundane selves." Naruto deadpaned to Yugao. "Yugao you are an ANBU agent and I am the jinchuuriki of the freaking kyuubi." Naruto took a deep breath. "WHAT THE HELL IS NORMAL ABOUT US." He yelled sounding more than a little annoyed, Yugao chuckled.

"Weeellllll, I guess you might have a point there." Yugao said smiling, before changing to pure business. "Anything to add to our little plan, Naruto-kun?" She asked.

Naruto looked up at the sky for a second before sighing. "Yes." He said sounding reluctant. "If were all going out to protect, Tazuna, then there will be no one to watch the house. So it needs some kind of guard so that, Gato, can't pull a fast one on us and send his men after, Tsunami and Inari." Naruto looked back to Yugao. "How long do shadow clones last." He asked looking at Yugao, who took another thinking pose her finger touching her finger to her lips.

"I can make enough to easily cover the house and still fight they will dispel with only one or two attacks though. They would last about one and a half days good idea, Naru-chan." She said smiling Naruto just laid back down and looked at the moon.

"Ten more minutes." He asked, Yugao smiled.

"Ten more minutes." She confirmed looking at the moon after what Inari had said she didn't feel like going back either.

**XXX**

There return to Tazuna's house had been informative, it turned out that a man called Kaiza became a father figure to Inari. Then over time Tsunami had come to love him and he became Inari's stepfather making him the main influence in Inari's life. The kid apparently worshiped Kaiza as a hero and loved him like a father, the man was like his father, best friend and brother all in one and the kid idolized him for it.

When Gato came to Wave he saw Kaiza as a symbol of hope and prosperity after all he was called a hero by the people of Wave. Considering Gato's own plans for the nation he couldn't let someone like Kaiza stay around as he might be able to rally the people. If what Tsunami told them was correct, and she had no reason to lie, Kaiza had both his arms cut off and was extensively tortured before his death. Before the entirety of Wave and perhaps most importantly Inari for the reason of conducting terrorist activity's against Gato corperation, all lies of course.

Naruto had almost laughed when he had heard that, after all that was exactly what Yugao and he were doing at the moment. The irony of the fact that they would free Wave from Gato's oppression of the country, using the method Kaiza was executed for was not lost on him. As it was he managed to keep the smile from his face and look serious, though he was fairly sure that Yugao caught the amusement in his eyes.

At the end Tsunami apologized for Inari's behavior to them and dispute what he had said earlier Naruto apologized for the way he acted. He really didn't want to but if Tsunami had managed to forgive him for the way he had acted towards her son and then apologize for him then Naruto would swallow his pride and apologize to her. Though that's not to say he apologized for what he said no, Naruto fully agreed with what he said, what he apologized for was the way he said it and Tsunami accepted that for which he was very grateful.

The family was told the plan along with the slightly revised change of Yugao placing some shadow clones around as bodyguards he saw Kurenai flinch when they mentioned the shadow clones. Probably berating herself over not thinking of that before adding she would place a Genjutsu around the house to make it harder to find. Giving Yugao's shadow clones more warning if an attack were to come, after the rest of the plan was explained they all went to rest, Naruto's last thoughts before sleep claimed him were that he hoped Yugao didn't get hurt.

**XXX**

Naruto yawned as the bridge came into sight before going alert, the bridge was covered in mist that wasn't normal. "You all remember the plan right?" Kurenai yelled out to her Genin team.

"Hai" Came the call of the collective members, Yugao just looked at Naruto and got a nod in return before turning back to the bridge

The six ninja and one old bridge builder ran down to the old mans latest creation the as of now unnamed colossal bridge. They arrived at it's entrance to find corpses bloody hacked to bits corpses Hinata vomited and Kiba looked like he was trying hard to keep down his lunch. The mist parted slightly giving them a look at the man inside it a huge Zanbato on his back.

The mist shifted again and the vision was obscured, Naruto didn't bother waiting for orders he jumped straight into the mist his hands blurring through hand seals even as he fell Rat Snake Horse Dog. Naruto breathed in deeply before expelling the air from his lungs and spinning the blade of wind blew away the mist and revealed the bridge to the others.

Naruto stood in the center between the two groups and swallowed he could feel the killing intent coming off Zabuza in waves. This was no small time thug, this was the real deal he could tell why Yugao didn't want him to fight Zabuza. He moved his attention to the masked killers companion the hunter was around a head taller than him mask already in place. Naruto swallowed again and licked his lips this was going to be the real thing not the kind of fights he been through so far, right now one slip could and indeed would cost him his life.

"Ha take that you mask wearing freak how you gonna take me with a level playing field huh?" Kiba yelled down to the group. Naruto sighed if it wasn't for the fact he was sure Zabuza would kill him if he showed an opening he would turn around walk back to the group and smack Kiba upside the head, he obviously needed it. As things stood Naruto settled for trying to drown Kiba, his soon to be partner in the up coming battle, out. Naruto reviewed that sentence in his head Kiba was going to be his partner in the fight, dear sweet Kami, Yugao really did want to kill him.

Yugao jumped down next to Naruto. "You ready?" Naruto smirked.

"You bet, so I've got the freaky hunter right." Yugao looked at him in an exasperated fashion the annoyance clear on her face.

"Can't you take anything seriously" Naruto looked at her in disbelief.

"Me take something seriously you must be joking." Yugao smacked him on the back of the head. This was all part of the act they had put together. A little more of a reason for people not to link them to Neko and Oni though there really shouldn't be anyone who could link them. After all they made sure to clean up as many loose ends as possible, still a little extra cover never hurt.

A water clone of Zabuza formed behind Yugao, Naruto smirked, Another clone formed behind Naruto, Yugao smiled. The Zanbato they both held were pulled back ready to strike, student and master attacked the clone aiming for their significant other. Yugao's ninjato severed the clones femoral artery, Benihime swung down and cut the clone from left shoulder to right hip. Both water clones turned into a puddle, Naruto and Yugao grinned at Zabuza.

Naruto charged Haku, Benihime slashing down in a viscous arc. Haku's eyes widened beneath his mask as he grabbed a kunai and held it up defensively. The smashed against his defense it wasn't as heavy as one of Zabuza's blows but it still almost numbed his arm on impact alone. Naruto smiled at the masked hunter. "You know hunter-san." He said in a joyful tone. "Your not bad for stopping my, Benihime, head on there's just one little problem." Hakus legs buckled under the weight and he grimaced this was insane. "You just like everyone else seems to think, THAT YOU CAN BLOCK ME." Naruto yelled pushing some Reiryouku along Benihime's blade.

Haku's face contorted in horror as he saw the katana slice through the kunai and race to his neck. He avoided it barely by jumping back, the diagonally slicing slash instead of taking his head only gave him a light cut from his left shoulder to his collar bone. Haku reevaluated his opponent he couldn't just take this easy it looked like he was going to have to get serious. Haku jumped backwards just avoiding the drill like attack from behind. Before taking a glancing blow to his right the hit tore some of the skin from his rib cage.

Haku's mouth felt dry the second attack was difficult to dodge because he jumped not knowing about the follow up. But that swordsman he met yesterday, Naruto was dangerous, the two drill like attacks stopped spinning the attackers standing next to the frowning swordsman. Two feral looking boys stood there each had a pair of red fang like markings on their cheeks.

"Kami dammit dobe!" Kiba yelled. "You made me miss now we've got to do this the hard way." He snarled at Naruto, Naruto just looked at him for a second before dismissing him out of hand and turning his attention back to Haku. Needless to say Kiba didn't take well to being ignored. "Dammit dobe listen to me." He ranted. "Because of YOUR fuck up we have to fight more, whats wrong not willing to fess up that you fucked up?" Kiba taunted the blond who gained a tick mark over his left eye, not that Haku blamed him that was just unprofessional.

"Kiba." Naruto said with barely concealed anger. "I did my job just fucking fine if you and your master had have gotten just a little closer. Instead of trying to launch an attack from that far away you would have got him. Don't go blaming ME because YOUR stealth skills suck, got me dog breath." Kiba opened his mouth no doubt to retort before Naruto continued. "At any rate get your head back in the game looks like he's done playing." Naruto indicated Haku who had taken another fighting stance a kunai in his left hand and senbon needles in his right. "I'll take her head on you look for another opening." With out waiting for an answer Naruto kicked off the ground and ran at Haku.

**XXX**

Yugao parried another of Zabuza's blows, dear god those were heavy he had almost numbed her arms with one strike and his Zanbato the Kubikiribōchō. The thing was as tall as she was and wider and the man swung it around like it was a goddam toothpick how much upper body strength did the man have? Zabuza yelled Kai again, Yugao grimaced he had dispelled another of Kurenai's Genjutsu they were her life line right now Zabuza would crush her if it came down to open combat. Just based on physical strength alone he would easily brake through her guard it was the reason she hadn't tried to lock swords with him she would be decimated.

Zabuza under smiled his bandages. "Your not bad little lady." He admitted, that was an understatement if he had ever made one. The woman was one of the best sword wielders he had ever met she wasn't at the level of any of the seven swordsmen but she was close. He almost wanted to give her another three or four years to let her come into her own before fighting her again but he couldn't afford to let her walk away from this.

"But your not going to win you must have realized that by now." He continued. "I've got you beat in terms of skill and strength the Genjutsu user back there is your life line. If you lose her you are going to die so let me offer you and those other brats a deal. Leave now and let me kill the bridge builder and I will let you all live to fight another day."

Yugao seriously considered it she wasn't out of tricks just yet but the odds weren't in her favor. Yugao weighed the pro's and con's of her decisions before sighing. "I would like to take that offer, Zabuza." She admitted surprising Kurenai behind her. "But I am afraid that I can't, so shall we start round two?" Yugao asked in a conversational tone. Zabuza shrugged well at least he tried he lifted his Kubikiribōchō and charged the slightly recovered Konoha ANBU.

**XXX**

Naruto had a snarl reminiscent of Kiba on his face as he slashed down at Haku, Kami dammit he was annoyed. The hunter knew better than to take his hits head on anymore so he just danced around them or parried and he didn't stay in one place long enough to make his Zanjutsu usable. The revolving drill that was Kiba slammed into the ground next to Haku forcing her off course and getting a light cut against her shoulders from Naruto's attack. Before jumping back out of both boys ranges he grimaced he had been hoping not to use this.

"You've both done very well." He admitted before sighing. "But I am afraid that I can't afford to take anymore damage. I had been hoping to render you both incapable of fighting but it seems that won't be the case. I do not like killinghowever, if you come at me… I will kill my heart with a blade and become a true shinobi." Haku started to make some hand seals and Naruto swallowed. He was fairly sure he could handle Haku up close but he didn't know what was about to happen. "Please both of you and that little dog there please, please just give up."

Kiba stepped forward a smirk on his face both his and Naruto's attacks had been getting closer and closer of the hunter. They could take him this guy was nothing big, he would admit that the dobe was a help but it was him that had been doing all the heavy lifting. "Bring it on I'm not about to back down to someone who's half dead already." He taunted before running forward ignoring the 'Kiba stop.' that was yelled by Naruto.

Haku finished his hand seals.** "Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō"**The ice mirrors formed around him and the Inuzuka confusing the latter. Haku looked at him for a second before stepping back into the mirror behind him. Then appearing in all the other mirrors, Kiba looked on in awe of the technique and had to admit it was impressive. "This is a part of my clans kekkei genkai it allows us to use Hyōton or ice release." Haku pulled senbon into his hands and his reflection in the other mirrors did as well Kiba gulped this didn't look good. "Goodbye ninja of Konoha, I am sorry." Then the onslaught began.

**XXX**

Yugao gulped down the air like it was water she was exhausted and covered in cuts they were all superficial but they still hurt. Zabuza looked at her from across the bridge he would admit the woman and her partner were doing very well. He felt Haku's chakra spike and the air grow colder, it was too bad that kid with the sword looked promising too it had been awhile since he had seen a swordsman split a kunai in one strike.

"You know those two brats are about to die right. I'm not going to lie to you in a straight up fight I am the stronger between me and Haku." Zabuza sighed before tuning his attention back to the two Kunoichi. "However inside that jutsu of his I've never beaten Haku not even once, sorry but those kids are dead." He said quite simply, before readying Kubikiribōchō again and charging.

**XXX**

Shino stiffened next to Hinata, the blue haired Genin looked at him straigely for a second. "A-aa-a-ano Shino-kun, w-ww-what's the matter?"

Shino's mouth pulled itself into a grimace. "The kikaichū I placed on Naruto-san and Kiba-san, have died. Before they did they sent back a feeling of immense cold, Hinata-san could you please check the mist for a construct capable of this." Hinata nodded her head nervously and activated her **Byakugan**.

"I see i-i-it Shino-san, it's like a g-g-grate dome of i-i-ice." Hinata stuttered out to her teammate, Shino nodded his visarge becoming progressively darker. He held up his hand as another of his kikaichū insects landed on it.

"More bad news." The young Aburame said, even his monotone sounded worried. "A large force is approching from the river by boat. Fist indications put it's strength at around three hundred." Shino turned back to Tazuna. "We will be unable to handle this alone, would it be possible to gather the towns people to help."

Tazuna looked at the young Aburame. "Possible or not were going to have to." The old man said turning around and running back towards the village, Shino in hot pursuit Hinata took one last look at the slightly mist covered bridge, after silently wishing Naruto luck ran after her teammate and their client.

**XXX**

Naruto looked at the ice dome he had no idea what the hell to do in a case like this. A fully chanted Sōkatsui did nothing more than make the ice melt, slightly. That was the most destructive fire type attack he had bar none, Ryodan left a deep gash but any damage that did was regenerated before he could capitalize on it. He was left with very few options, Naruto gritted his teeth and ran at the side of the dome he couldn't see much from outside. But if he was inside maybe he could figure out the trick that hunter was using and capitalize on it to finish the fight, if not he would have to rely on Shikai to get the job done.

Kiba wasn't having to much of a good time inside the dome either, he wasn't very cut up as the rapid spinning of Akamaru and his Gatsūga was too fast for the senbon to harm them. That didn't mean he wasn't cut up, every time he stopped he was hit with another wave of senbon needles he was slowly but surely being driven into a corner. He did hear constant crashes from outside he figured Naruto was trying something to break the dome but it wasn't working. Another wave of senbon raced towards him he wasn't going to be able to move in time, the silvery edge of the katana passed in front of his nose stopping the senbon about to take his eye.

Naruto's eyes raced around the dome. 'twelve on the bottom eight on the top, total twenty mirrors. But all these hunters a cloning technique? No it's just his reflection in the mirrors, so he's moving between them at high speed and attacking from different angles. Well at least that means there's only one of him or this could be a lot worse, but now how do I use what I know.' Naruto cast a quick look back at his injured teammate, he didn't like Kiba much but he didn't want him hurt either.

"You okay, Kiba" Naruto wanted to keep any talking short and sweet, at the moment he was being given time by the hunter ninja. He just didn't know how long it was going to last, The figure in the mirrors seemed to be looking at him almost sadly. As he drew another lot of senbon's preparing to throw, Naruto grimaced he didn't know which one was the real hunter dodging this was going to be a bitch. Kiba nodded as he stood up preparing to use his Gatsuga with Akamaru again the little nin dog was also suffering from a lot of lacerations, Naruto noted.

The needles cut through the air, Naruto ducked he couldn't tell what senbons were real and what ones were false, but the time spent in the forest of death had sharped his survival skills. Right now they were screaming at him to duck so he did and half a dozen senbons flew through the air over his head. Kiba wasn't so lucky another three striking him in the thigh, all in major pressure points.

Naruto's eyes widened in horror he wasn't going to make it he wasn't that fast. The senbon needles cut through the air one last time, hitting Kiba in the neck. The Inuzuka went down a surprised look on his face, like he was asking if this was really the way he was going to die. Akamaru ran to his owner, only to be cut down by the next wave of senbon silencing the little dog and it's constant barks asking his friend to get back up.

Naruto just stared at the scene and felt nothing no anger, no sorrow or hate nothing. Just a gaping black void, sure he hadn't been on the friendliest terms with Kiba but he wasn't a bad guy. Just a little too arrogant and cocky, Naruto looked up at the hunter with blank eyes. "I am sorry." Haku said softly. "But I couldn't just let him go or you, I won't ask for you to forgive me just for you to understand."

"You know I've never told anyone this but I want you to hear it before you die." Naruto said his voice equal parts calm and terrifying. "When I was seven I was brutally beaten by the villagers of Konoha because I was something they couldn't understand, something they couldn't comprehend. I was stabbed through the stomach by a katana by one of the men meant to protect me, some of the mob that came to kill me pissed on me, others spat on me. I was defeated...Humiliated."

Naruto looked back up at Haku his eyes completely void of emotion. "But in my defeat I found something deep inside and hidden away. From the ashes and blood of my defeat and my humiliation the real me crawled forth covered in blood. Now then I think I am going to show you what the real me really is." Naruto finished in his calm tone before looking straight at the mirror Haku was in making the hunters eyes widen.

Naruto held his katana out to his side point facing the earth and slowly began rotating it towards the sky. "Okiro, Benihime." The katana changed revealing her Shikai state, Naruto looked back at Haku eyes not blinking. "Here I come, try not to die too quickly will you." Naruto swung Benihime horizontally cutting straight through the ice mirror, Benihime was roaring inside him and he was letting all his blood lust and her's loose for this fight. Haku's eyes were bugging out of his head, his ice mirrors not even Zabuza-sama had been able to break them and now some kid and a weird katana cut through one with no effort, that was insane.

Benihime came back over Naruto's head. **"Ryodan" **The attack wasn't said with anger or malice it was said with a cold calm precision that chilled Haku to the bone. Benihime came down and three more mirrors were destroyed, Haku stepped out of the mirrors and let them dissolve. No point in keeping up such a draining ability if it wasn't going to work.

Naruto watched as the hunter pulled out a pair of kunai and ran closing the distance between them in a second. Naruto didn't show any surprise, just raising Benihime and bringing her down on Haku's head the young fake hunter bought his kunai's up in a cross block. Benihime hit the guard and didn't stop in the slightest, cutting through the metal kunai, Haku's hunter mask and right pectoral like a hot knife through butter.

Naruto followed through with the swing and planted Benihime in the ground and used her as a pivot to kick Haku in the sternum. The air rushed out of the young mans body as he flew backwards, Naruto jumped after the fake hunter Benihime held high to deliver the killing blow.

Haku just watched as the katana's edge got closer, so this was how his life ended was it? It was a shame he couldn't help Zabuza-sama finish his goals but his opponent was to strong. The death blow he was expecting didn't come, the katana just touching the flesh of his throat. "You were the last person I was expecting, Haku."

Haku looked up at the blond, there was still no emotion in Naruto's eyes. "Sorry for deceiving you, Naruto-kun, I am just, Zabuza-sama's, tool. Nothing more nothing less, but I didn't lie to you I really do think that people become stronger to protect someone. For me that someone is, Zabuza-sama, so, Naruto-kun, I need to ask you a favor if you will hear me out." Naruto nodded interested in what the fake hunter had to say. "Please kill me."

Please kill me, these words took a moment to run through Naruto's head. "Why do you want me to kill you?" He asked it really was strange not many people exactly asked others to kill them after all.

Haku smiled. "I am, Zabuza-sama's tool he doesn't need a broken tool." Haku said simply as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "I lived for, Zabuza-sama's, dream I don't have one to call my own as long as I served him I didn't need one. But now, Naruto-kun, you've taken away my reason to live so all I have is the pain of being alive. So please, Naruto-kun, please kill me I want to die."

For the first time in a long time Naruto was at a loss of what to do he just didn't know. He could feel the cold rage that had flooded through him like a torrent of ice finally settle down. Haku took a look over his shoulder and his eyes widened with shock and horror, he created one last ice mirror. "Sorry, Naruto-kun." He said smiling. "Looks like this tool had one more job left."

**XXX**

Yugao allowed herself a smile of satisfaction as her blade slashed at Zabuza's neck. Kurenai had deliberately gotten herself knocked out to create this opening and she wasn't about to waste it. Lighting chakra lit up her ninjato as it streaked downwards. Yugao didn't even notice the ice mirror form next to Zabuza or the figure leaping out of it, until it was too late. Her sword carved through the boys chest and stomach, like the organs and bones weren't even there. Though she was a little off put by the look of contentment on the boys face.

Zabuza looked at the picture for a second before laughing. "Looks like I picked up a good tool." He said with glee slashing at Yugao through Haku, the ANBU managed to deflect the blow enough that it didn't hit her before fainting from chakra depletion. The purple haired woman spared one last look at her student before passing out.

**XXX**

Naruto ran to Yugao even as she fell and positioned himself in front of her blocking anymore incoming strikes from Zabuza. None came the Kirigakure no Kijin was looking at him oddly as if trying to figure out a puzzle. Naruto began to feel his blood boil, it was because of him Haku was dead, it was because of him Kiba was dead, it was because of him Yugao was dead. Naruto's thoughts spiraled out of control as he began to feel more and more rage flow through him.

Zabuza pulled back Kubikiribōchō if the kid wasn't going to move then he was going to die. He swung horizontally he was expecting the kid to be cut in half what he was not expecting was his blow to be stopped head on. Naruto felt the Zanbato hit Benihime but didn't care he pushed back with all his might and forced the older man back.

Zabuza's eyes widened, this strength this was insane. Naruto just looked at Zabuza before taking his stance. Benihime began to glow red Naruto looked at Zabuza unflinchingly. "Here I come Zabuza, and. I. Will. Cut. You." Naruto charged forward, the Zanbato was swung down. Benihime's voice came back to him. 'If you dodge, I wont let them cut me.' The attack was side stepped with all the skill of a master. Zabuza's eyes widened the kid had skill and more than a little.

Kubikiribōchō lashed out horizontally and Naruto brought Benihime up.'When you block, I will not die.' With a show of immense skill and strength Naruto forced the Zanbato up and crated an opening he could use, standing almost at Zabuza's chest. This time he screamed along with the voice. "When you attack. You. Will. CUT. Them." Naruto finished swinging Benihime down accompanied by a flash of red light.

Zabuza looked down and saw his chest separate from his body, strangely enough he died with a smile on his face. The kid had been a good fight after all and the last attack, Zabuza's last thought was one word. 'Magnificent.' Naruto just looked at the corpse the sound of clapping reached his ears but he didn't react to it. There was no need to, he didn't want to after all, so why bother.

A presence embraced him from behind and time seemed to stop, the arms around his neck were pale white and the persons fingernails were painted black. This set off alarm bells in Naruto's head, Benihime didn't have black fingernails, who was this? He wanted to turn around but couldn't then the presence spoke, it was definitely the voice of a woman. Sweet, supple and warm just listening to that voice warmed his heart.

"**Now, now, Naruto-kun, you can't afford to be careless it's not over yet. Just remember one thing from me okay? No giving up alright."**

The voice and presence retreated as it left Naruto caught a glimpse of black hair. Time started to return back to normal and the sound of clapping echoed across the bridge. "My oh my how hard is it to find good help these days?" Came the mocking voice from the end of the bridge, Naruto looked towards the voice the natural mist of the wave country obscured his vision slightly. But he could still make out all the important points, a small man with a cane in front of around three hundred mercenary's.

Naruto didn't feel scared or worried he didn't feel anything, that presences words were still ringing in his head especially the last part no giving up was it? Naruto turned to face the conglomerate head Benihime held loosely by his side. "I see so your the one who killed, Zabuza, well no real loss on my part. Those damn missing ninja always cost so much to hire I probably would have had him killed sooner or later." The midget indicated the men around him and smiled.

"After all for the same price as, Zabuza, I hired all these men for a six month contract. Just what do you think of that Mr. Ninja? Normally I would offer you a place in Gato corporation after what you did to, Zabuza, but I think you would be too much of a lose cannon." Gato spotted Yugao laying behind Naruto sprawled out in the same position she had been knocked out in.

The shipping magnet smiled in a perverse grin. "That lovely lady behind you however I can find a use for. Many people would pay top dollar for a woman like that I think I'll have a bit of fun with her first though. Not that it matters to you though, now then boys attack and take everything that it looks like it's worth something from the town."

Naruto stopped listening to the man in front of him after the comment about Yugao. He needed to do something he needed to stop him but how, he might not look it but he was tired so very, very tired. Something shifted in his chest like the heart beat of a vengeful god. The voice came from inside his mind like liquid malice.

"**Then kill them."**

Naruto looked at the approaching bandits.

"**Kill them all."**

Fifty meters before they reached him.

"**Kill them."**

Twenty meters.

"**Kill them all and protect them, Kill them, Kill them."**

"**KILL THEM."**

Naruto could feel the blood pounding through his veins as time slowed down once more. "Yes." He agreed with the voice.

**XXX**

Deep, Deep within Naruto's subconscious came the rattling of chains as murderous red energy spilled out from behind a huge gate. Two red eyes looked at the dark world that they were bound in and the great fox looked up to the pitch black heavens and roared.

"**Finally after so long. I. HAVE. AWOKEN." **

**XXX**

There was no time for thought, Benihime cut up, down, left and right relentlessly. Naruto noted with a detached calm that his enemies froze on occasion. What he couldn't see was his own blood red eyes, his left hand shot out grabbing another bandits throat and crushing the life out of him. Benihime was thrown into the air as he started making hand seals. "Fūton: Shinkūha." He exhaled spinning, blood splattered over the bridge from the bandits around him, Naruto jumped back to observe the carnage.

He'd been at this for almost twenty minutes and was covered in small lacerations and more blood than he thought possible. Out of the roughly three hundred bandits, he had taken down at least eighty this power that was flooding through him as incredible. Some of the men seemed to think him easy prey without Benihime and charged him, a cruel smile twisted Naruto's face. **"Bakudo#4:********Hainawa" **

**The yellow energy rope shit from his hands and coiled around the still air born Benihime. Dragging the Shikai state Zanpaktou back to her partners hand. Naruto cut up from his left spilling the first's innards, the second had his head taken from his shoulders the final bandit was stabbed through the lungs. Then kicked off Benihime's blade. He pointed at a dense amount of bandits. ********"Hado#4:Baykurai"**The pale lightning lanced from Naruto's finger taring through seven men before dispersing, he looked on with a smile.

This power it seemed limitless it was intoxicating, Naruto started laughing his opponents were down to a measly two hundred men. With this power two hundred was no better than none at all these men had no chakra ,they were no ninja what could such measly insects do to him now he held this magnificent power. Naruto charged and the slaughter began anew, head and arms torn off the bodies they were attached to by his left hand, severed limbs marked the passage of his right.

He was laughing amidst a rain of crimson, he killed and killed and then kept on killing until only Gato was left. The bloodstained ninja stood in front of the small CEO and founder of Gato shipping still dripping with his opponents blood. Benihime's blade glinted in the sunlight as he put her above his head, blood from the blade falling onto his face. Gato cowered before the figure of the preteen, Benihime came down severing Gato's head from his shoulders.

The power drained out from his body, Naruto's vision stopped being clouded by rage and he looked back on what he had done and promptly threw up. Bodies, if you could even call them that anymore, were everywhere, not even one Bandit was in one piece, hands, feet, eyes they were all missing something.

He had agreed to killing for a higher cause but he had never even seen death on this scale he didn't think it was possible. Naruto looked at the carnage for a second before fainting he thought he heard someone calling his name as he fell. He was a stamina freak no questions asked but pulling out that power along with using Benihime in Shikai had taken it's toll on him. No one noticed as the crimson princess returned to her sealed state.

**XXX**

Naruto felt like he had been pushed into a lake and opened his eyes the Konoha replica in his mind scape was empty as always. He felt a pair of warm and comforting arms wrap around him he could feel Benihime and her mere presence reassured him. There was no scolding about moving forward, no displeasure in her bearing only complete and utter understanding. Before he slipped into unconsciousness in Benihime's arms it looked as if the sky had lightened just a little more.

**XXX**

Yugao was worried for Naruto, he had killed Zabuza and those thugs afterward but what kind of damage had been done to his mind as a result. She didn't know, he had already been through so much as a kid she wasn't sure how much more his mind could take. At least she wouldn't have to worry about needing to destroy Gato's mansion, coupled with their destruction of the slave pens and all the bandits yesterday. Gato corporation was in ruins, Yugao had discreetly sent some of the documents she had liberated for lack of a better term. To the Wave country Daimyo, keeping a few of the more illegal dealings with Kiri to herself for Konoha of course.

The Wave Daimyo was overjoyed at being able to find a ligament excuse to dismantle Gato corporation, in conjunction with Tazuna the Daimyo was sending more funds and men to build the bridge. The old man was overjoyed he didn't know what to do first, besides drink some more sake for his good luck and fortune. 'Old drunk.' Yugao lamented when she had first seen him after the letter came, she turned back to her student.

Naruto's eyes flickered open. "Huh, Neko-chan, what are you doing in my room?" He asked in a bleary tone. Yugao hugged him she was so revealed he was awake, it had been three days after all.

**XXX**

The next three weeks passed in a blur, the bridge was completed in record time it seemed like every man and woman in Wave had come out to help. Kiba survived his wounds, Haku was too soft hearted to kill after all, Naruto shed a few tears for his fallen friend in privet. Then constructed a grave for both him and Zabuza when no one was around, though he suspected that Yugao and Kurenai knew about the graves. After all famous Zanbato's like Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō don't just up and go missing out of nowhere, but they stayed quiet about it to which Naruto was eternally thankful.

Apparently both Shino and Hinata had seen him kill Gato and didn't ask about how he found the strength to kill almost three hundred men single handedly. They didn't ask though something else Naruto was grateful for, Kiba seemed to be under the impression that Yugao and Kurenai had killed them Naruto was in no rush to correct him. That would have led to more uncomfortable questions, then he was comfortable answering, though he knew that he would have to talk to the Hokage about it when they returned.

On a more lighthearted note Inari had started to look up to him and see the world as a better place instead of just sitting and feeling sorry for himself. In fact most of Wave hailed Naruto as a hero after more than half the Islands inhabitants turned up with urging from Tazuna and Inari to help Naruto on the bridge when Gato attacked.

The time eventually came when it was time to leave.

**Time Skip- Leaving Wave.**

It looked like all of Wave had turned up to see them off, the mass gathering of people warmed Naruto's heart and filled it with more than a little sorrow. On one hand all those people were safe and happy again on the other hand they called him a hero, him a hero? No they just called him a hero because they didn't know what he had done to the people in that bar. If they knew what he had done would they call him a hero then, Naruto doubted it.

He didn't delude himself into thinking that sacrifices were not needed to save Wave but that didn't make the memory's any easier to swallow. Inari walked up to him and smiled. "Your really a hero huh nii-chan." He said in a warm and happy voice, Naruto fought down a grimace and smiled back at Inari.

"Yep, your damn right I am." He said loudly smiling at the younger boy, then laughing. He hoped no one could tell how forced it was. Naruto patted Inari on the head and smiled. "Just remember kid, No. Giving. Up, alright." Naruto stopped where had he heard those words before.

Inari just smiled up at him. "Right, Naruto-nii-chan, no giving up." Naruto patted him one last time on the head and walked away with the others.

"So what are we going to call the bridge." One of the men in the crowd yelled out. Tazuna thought for a second, before smiling.

"We'll call it The Great Naruto Bridge, after the hero who fought for our county and gave it back hope." The old man said with conviction, there was a resounding roar of approval.

Naruto heard the declaration from the other side of the bridge and stopped. 'Please.' He thought to himself. 'Please don't call me a hero.' He begged inside his mind. A warm breeze caressed his cheek and he looked up to the pure azure sky. The wind blew again, he smiled, it sounded like the singing of a beautiful crimson haired princess he knew so well. Looking back up the trail, with a determined smile on his face he started running after the group.

**CHAPTER 3 END**

Final Authors Note-

God damn SIXTY FIVE PAGES I feel like a god, with immense problems in grammar and the occasional spelling error. On that note I would like to state that I live in a country that uses UK English not American English. So I do apologize for some of the words being right in one language and wrong in the other. The reason I mention this is that the writing format text thingy I am using only had American English when it comes to spell check.

Now about the pole it is to decide a grand total of three things.

1- If Saskue go's to Orochimaru or gets his ass kicked right back to Konoha

2- Whether to go straight to the Chunin exam arc or do a bridging arc. If I head straight to the Chunin exam arc then expect me to just pass off the two months leading up to it as D ranks.

3- Vizard vs Sage, they both have there pro's and con's but just so you know I love the attack Rasen Shuriken so that can and will be available in either form so don't let that affect your vote.

Next up is a new story idea I have in mind it's called **Naruto: Shattered Promises. **

To put things in a nut shell Minato seals the Kyuubi in Naruto and his two sisters, he gets the mind they get the yin and yang chakra respectively. Unlike most fic's his parents DON'T give him the shaft and train all three of them equally. Knowing that eventually the Kyuubi's mind would regenerate it's lost yin and yang chakra, eventually leaving Naruto with both it's yin and yang chakra and his sisters with it's old yin and yang chakra.

Naruto has it pretty good in the village but as the Kyuubi's mind is inside him some of the village still blame him and he gets shunned by the civilian side and most of the shinobi side. His only friends in his own age group being Shikamaru and Choji and his sisters with Itachi acting as a kind of big brother. Then one day he up and disappears, four years latter at age sixteen he returns to Konoha with two companions as part of the mysterious organisation Vizard.

From here on in a game of shadow's begins between Vizard, Akatsuki, The Fake Madara and Danzo, for the greatest prize of all the **Hōgyoku. **

Finishing up this chapter is a grand total of 43338 words including both Authors notes, until next time bye oh and do let me know what you think of the new story idea.

See you all next time

Unlimited Blade Works


	5. Chapter 4

**Naruto: The Crimson Blade Chronicles- ****Part One Halcyon Days**

**Chapter Four- Empty Salvation **

**Authors note-**

Hello again and here is chapter four. Most of the Chunin exam will proceed as normal so expect to see some skipping.

Also I will get this out of the way now. This chapter can and indeed will step on some peoples toes, more or less because Sakura and Sasuke's personality's have done a 180 since the last time I wrote them. Just try to remember though it's just been one chapter to you guy's it's six months in world, so they have had some time to change. Also nothing gets rid of arrogance like a beat down, one of the reasons I always thought Sasuke had such a big stick up his ass was the way everyone fawned all over him.

Sasuke has been trained by Kakashi over the last six months who systemically broke him of his arrogance, by pointing out Sasuke's flaws and the flaws of his clan. Then rebuilt him piece by piece and the man is a better person for it. As for what Anko did to Sakura, use your imagination I'm sure it would give you more than a rough idea. In closing just remember they have had six months of two people driving home the fact that they are NOT all that is good and holy in this world, just try and keep that in mind.

As for why this chapter is up early, well more than a few voted for the Chunin exams and well who am I to deny the people what they want. The Sasuke and Vizard vs Sage poll's are still open till the end of Wednesday. Australia**Western **Standard time, so please do vote.

Now on to the review answers, to be honest this is quickly becoming my favorite part of the Authors note. Now in order of review.

First tstoldt & Key to Chaos and anyone else that was wondering. Putting Saskue on probation was not a plot hole.

"The penalty, Hokage-sama, is six months probation from the ninja program followed up by a practical skills check and psychiatric evaluation."

To be honest now that I read it, I could have said that better. The way I meant for it come out was more along the lines of, you have six months to straighten up and fly right or we drop you. They were not actually taking him out of the shinobi program then and there, just telling him that he had six months to get his ass into gear. Sorry if that confused anyone else but I hope that I cleared that up.

ForeverFallen76 and I quote.

"I am curious to whom that woman was. I know its not the Kyubi, so that would leave a Hollow Version of Benihime, or Mirror Flower, Water Moon."

Finally someone asks the million dollar question. Sorry to say that I can't really say too much about her, lets just say she is both a protagonist and an antagonist. She moves for her own goals and manipulates others to get them, but she doesn't hold any ill will towards Naruto.

Another important point you bought up was. "The Hogyoku bridges the gap between Humans and the Kami. What I find odd about the Hogyoku is that it seems to want to help everyone that is closest to it. So, with that being said, I would imagine Yugao gaining Reiryouku to form her own Zanpakto, or be able to use Reiryouku based energy attacks."

Chakra is a balance between physical energy and spiritual energy or Reiryouku. So to be honest any ninja could theoretically use Kido, Hoho and Hakuda as they would just have to use the spiritual half of there chakra. The problem with that is that no human has ever done that before that they know of and as such they don't know how to mold the energy properly, Naruto for one is in no rush to teach them.

Then reason I leave Zanjutsu out of that is that it kind of seems like you would need a Zanpaktou to perform.

Finally you mentioned something about giving mirror flower to someone that has no skill in illusions. I wanted to do that to be honest, the problem is doing it without making the power a game breaker. So no, that's a no go at least as of right now, down the line I may change my mind.

EndGame666 You are right I really do need to go over my chapters after I write them I did that for the last chapter and your right it does make a big difference. Thanks for the appreciation when it comes to peoples motives you are the first to mention it.

Next up thanks for not black marking me for mentioning Fuuinjutsu, honestly putting it in was a toss up but I chose to anyway. Don't be to worried about his skill level at the moment he won't be able to make more than a basic exploding tag and sealing scroll for awhile. Though I always did like the idea of sealing an enemies jutsu and throwing it back at them in the middle of the fight. That won't be happening for awhile though.

As for what to use the physical half of chakra for I hadn't really thought about it. I had a small idea to use it for something resembling an Arrancars, **Hierro** or iron skin. But I am still toying with it and welcome new idea's.

Maleivius & Renegade: Thanks for catching the wrong spelling for Sasuke and Kisuke, I'll have change it from this chapter on.

Gyo-ryu no Mai ken Hi no Akuma: Thanks for catching the spelling mistake on Hatake, I will change it from now on.

Every one else thanks for the reviews and I do you enjoy this chapter.

"Talking"

'Thinking'

"**Boss summons and Bijuu"**

**'Boss summons and Bijuu'**

**Story Start-**

Naruto sighed as he looked at the form in front of him, a form that would decide his entrance to the Chunin exams. He looked up at the sky, to say it had been an interesting month would be a massive under statement.

_Flash Back Reassembling of Team Seven_

_Naruto tried to keep the bored look off his face as he waited at team sevens designated training ground, his apprenticeship with Yugao had ended yesterday. He wasn't happy about that little fact either, Naruto worked well with the purple haired ANBU captain but a bigger factor was that he actually liked her. More than could be said for Sakura or Saskue, still, he did promise her he would give them a chance before dismissing them out of hand. _

_He might not like it but he always kept his promises no matter what, Naruto turned his head so he could see the approaching figure and whistled. Sakura had changed, a lot, it looked like she was taking her job as a ninja more seriously, that was a good thing in Naruto's book._

_Her pink hair had been cropped short, probably to avoid it getting grabbed by an enemy Naruto guessed. Full length black and gray pants, ninja sandals, to his disappointment, two kunai and shuriken holsters on each leg. Surrounded by several strapped on slightly longer kunai around her thighs, considering that they had sheaths he guessed they were probably covered in poison. _

_A pair of red leather belts crisscrossed over her hips holding six scrolls each. A wakizashi was strapped horizontally across her hips. A black mesh top with a red jacket over it completed her look, he suspected and rightly, that he would find the clan crest of the Haruno's on the back of the jacket._

_Naruto nodded to his soon to be teammate, so far so good she was definitely taking her job more seriously. But he didn't say anything, he was more than content to let Sakura make the first move in this little game. The pinkette looked at him for a moment before looking away guiltily and rubbing her left shoulder with her right hand. A habit, Naruto knew from his years of watching her, that she only had when she was nervous about something._

_Sakura looked at him for another minute before seemingly gathering her courage. "Naruto." She said a little timidly, Naruto just nodded to her, Sakura took a deep breath. "I am sorry about what I said when we were first paired with, Sasuke, it was both insensitive and immature. Can you forgive me for what I did back then?" She asked sounding more than a little scared. _

_Naruto's eyes felt like they were about to fall out of his skull, Sakura apologizing, no more importantly Sakura apologizing to HIM. What the hell was going on, did Yugao hit him to hard or something yesterday when they were sparing? Naruto settled for getting his eyes back to normal before responding. "Thanks for apologizing, Sakura." He admitted, it really did feel nice to hear someone apologizing for something to him. "But please excuse me if I am a little skeptical, but I think I can forgive you." _

_Sakura looked at him in surprise she wasn't expecting him to accept her apology, six months of Anko's hell had pounded an appropriate sense of right and wrong into her. One untainted by her clans superiority complex, Naruto was just the first person on a very long list of people she needed to apologize to. Anko had forced her to reevaluate just how much being in a clan mattered on the battlefield, namely, that it didn't matter at fucking all._

_Sakura was already saving up to move out of her house, it was something Anko had recommended to her. In order for her to gain a unbiased view on people and the world, she would need to view it from a place where her clan couldn't influence her views, too much at least. Naruto held out his hand to her and smiled. "Let's start fresh, Hello, Haruno Sakura, my name is, Uzumaki Naruto. It is a pleasure to meet you and I look forward to working with you."_

_Sakura just looked at his hand for a second before smiling herself and placing her hand in his, before giving him a firm handshake. "It's nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san, I look forward to working with you." She finished a full blown grin on her face, Naruto just chuckled he had agreed to give them a second chance, so far and so good. He would forgive Sakura but not forget what she did, this was her second chance, a chance she was given by Yugao's request. If she ever needed a third she would have to earn it, considering the way she was acting at the moment though, Naruto didn't feel like they would have any problems._

_Both their heads turned, Naruto whistled again, it seemed like his new and improved teammates were out to impress him. Sasuke was actually walking around without an air of arrogance, that was the first thing Naruto noticed and he was immediately thankful for. Gray pants, shinobi sandals, again was there no one competent enough to realize that wearing them would get you stabbed in the foot? Gray shirt with ANBU issue chest plate and arm guards, that surprised him. A ninjato over Sasuke's right shoulder with a kunai and shuriken holster on each leg and steel greaves over his shins._

_Naruto stayed quiet again he said he would give them a chance, so far Sakura had asked for forgiveness from him and that was a big step forward in their relationship both working and social. But Sasuke, Naruto didn't think the Uchiha knew the meaning of the word humble let alone how to be so and as such he was content to watch, and once again let his prospective teammate make the first move._

_Sasuke looked at Naruto for a second before getting on his knees and putting his forehead to the floor. "Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke started his voice not faltering in the slightest, Naruto could tell that Sasuke meant what he was saying. "Back in the Hokages office I attempted to take something that was not mine but yours and for that I am deeply sorry. Is there any chance you could forgive me and work with me on missions as team seven from here on out." Sasuke asked formally._

_Naruto felt his heart stop, what the hell was going on, he really didn't know, was he still asleep was this a dream, was he hit by something a little too hard and it gave him a concussion? All these possibility's and more ran through his head and as such he did what any normal person would have done in that situation. He drew Benihime and placed her to the Uchiha's neck. "Who are you and what have you done with, Uchiha Sasuke." Naruto asked his tone cold, no way in hell was this Sasuke he was just too, well nice._

_The Uchiha stared up at him if disbelief. "I am, Uchiha Sasuke." The man on the ground said sounding perplexed, Sakura's wakizashi joined Benihime on the Uchiha's neck._

"_No your not." Sakura said with venom in her voice. "Sasuke, would never apologize to people he feels are below him like he thinks me and Naruto are. So let me ask you instead who are you and what have you done with, Uchiha Sasuke, and if I so much as think you are lying to me I will cut off your balls." Naruto shivered at that, no man, he thought back to Wave and the under ground slave pens, almost no man, he amended, deserved that._

_That was the scene Kakashi walked onto and though it took almost three hours and many, many different questions before both, Naruto and Sakura were satisfied that Sasuke was in fact Sasuke. Naruto rubbed the back of his head in a sheepish manner. "Well sorry about that." He said sounding nervous. "It was more than a little strange you know you, you of all people apologizing to some one especially me." Sakura nodded in agreement even she thought that was something that would never happen._

_Naruto held out his hand to Saskue. "Lets try this one more time, hello my name is, Uzumaki Naruto, it is pleasure I look forward to working with you, Uchiha-san." Naruto finished smiling, Saskue couldn't help snorting in amusement as he took the offered hand._

"_First you hold a katana to my neck and then next you tell me you look forward to working with me." Saskue said sounding more than slightly amused by the entire situation. "It is nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san, I hope we work well together." All three of them looked at each other before bursting out laughing, Kakashi felt a small warm feeling in his chest as he watched them, he recognized it as pride._

_End Flash Back_

After that they spent the month doing team based exercises to get them up to scratch as a unit and D rank missions to put that training into real situations. Even if they were only chores, there was no way in hell those things counted as missions. Naruto found he actually liked the new Saskue and Sakura, though when he asked Kakashi-sensei what he did to beat the arrogance out of Saskue all he got was an eye smile, asking Saskue got similar results except instead of smiling he shivered and walked away without saying anything.

As for Sakura she was more than happy to talk about her training, just not the first two months, if you asked about those she just shuddered and changed the subject. Not that Naruto minded to much, he was just glad they could have a conversation without her trying to cave his head in with her fist. It's a real wonder what a little thing like that can do for a relationship, at any rate he learned that Sakura was trained by someone call Anko.

One of the things he had been trying to figure out was what had happened to him on the bridge. He guessed it had something to do with the Kyuubi but Benihime couldn't tell him as she knew about as much as he did. Though she did mention that the power felt both dark and malevolent, that alone made him think it was the Kyuubi, Benihime couldn't find where the fox was in his mind scape though. That led them to the conclusion that the Kyuubi's seal was most likely in a part of the mind scape neither of them had access to, at least not yet.

The payment Naruto had received from the S rank mission he and Yugao had completed was more than nice, he had wanted to put it in the bank, but as no bank would allow him to open him an account he couldn't. Naruto smiled at the memory of how he had gotten around that little problem, he would be making more use of that particular disguise it just felt natural somehow.

_Flash Back First National Bank of Konoha, one week ago._

_The sound of traditional Geta sandals alerted the bank to a new customer, the man in question was fairly tall with dirty blond hair and gray eyes. His outfit was of a green pair of pants and obi with a darker green jacket over top with a diamond design on it's hem. The look was completed with a green striped bucket hat and a wooden walking stick, that was actually a henged Benihime._

"_Ohayo." The man said smiling shyly to the bank teller in front of him. "I am looking to start a savings account along with an investment portfolio who would I need to see about that." The young brown haired woman smiled at him._

"_Ah, you would have to see the manager, Tsuba-san for that Mr..." The blond looked at her sheepishly and smiled._

"_Ah, that's right I haven't introduced myself yet have I." He said in a happy tone. "My names, Kisuke, Urahara Kisuke."_

_Flash Back End_

Naruto smiled at the memory of the interaction by the end of that day he had his five hundred thousand Ryo nicely divided up. Half the money was spreed between three different savings and check accounts and the other half was placed in various shares and bonds along with trust agreements. With the money that came in from said shares and bonds twenty percent of it went into his accounts the other eighty went back into buying more shares. He also set up a transaction that sent his rent money directly to his land lord so he didn't need to worry about that for a long time.

Naruto smiled he was glad Yugao had made him read that book on finances it really was handy, after all who didn't want to know how to best use their money. His smile widened when he thought of Yugao and his Jiji some how Yugao had managed to convince him that teaching Naruto the Kage Bunshin was a good idea. After making him swear never to use it for pranks, Yugao had also told him the secret of the Kage Bunshin and then warned him not to become over dependent on it.

Yes he could use the Kage Bunshin to learn an obscene amount of techniques and quickly too, but that was not necessarily good thing. If he over relied on the Kage Bunshin to learn he would have memories of doing things, but he would have never actually done them, Yugao had told him that it was an easy trap to fall into, the over reliance on Kage Bunshin instead of on yourself.

Her solution for him was that he could have his Kage Bunshin learn something to an average level and then perfect it himself and he could see the wisdom there. With the amount of chakra Naruto had he could easily create a few hundred Kage Bunshin, but Yugao had warned that he might start to just rush his enemies with numbers and neglect his basic skill set, that was not a good thing. (**Yes that was a jab at cannon.)**

Naruto turned his attention back to the form in front of him, he placed it back into his pocket and kept walking. "Hey let me go!" Came the yell from nearby, Naruto started running he couldn't shake the feeling he had heard that voice somewhere before. He rounded the last corner and saw something both incredible and immensely disturbing, a man in what could only be call a black cat suit and make up, holding a squirming eight year old off the ground by his shirt. 'Konohamaru' he thought sighing before walking forward, the kid could be a pain, but he wasn't a bad kid something had to be up.

"Yo." He said giving a lazy wave. "Would you mind dropping the kid for me please." He drawled in a lethargic tone.

**XXX**

In a bookshop in the middle of Konoha Kakashi paused from his browsing of the Icha Icha series and pumped his fist into the air. "Yes I knew I'd get one of them someday." He shouted sounding proud.

**XXX**

Naruto cocked his head to the side. 'Why so I feel like I just made someone's day.' He asked himself, then receiving the mental equivalent of a shrug from Benihime in return. Naruto turned his attention back to the cat man in front of him. Said man looked annoyed, Naruto sighed why couldn't anything in his life be easy even once, just freaking once.

"No way in hell am I letting this little snot go." The man said indignantly. "He bumped into me and he's gotta pay the price for disrespecting me." Naruto turned his attention to Konohamaru.

"This true, Kon." He asked sounding tired.

Konohamaru nodded as well as he could. "Yes, Naruto-nii-san." He admitted. "But it was an accident and I said sorry, but this big jerk wont let me go."

Naruto turned his attention back to the cat suit man. "Look the kid said sorry can't you just let it go he's only what eight years old."

"He's right, Kankuro, he's just a kid let him go already the last thing we need is an incident now." Said the blond woman from behind him sounding exasperated.

"Shut up, Temari, the kid disrespected me I can't just let something like that slide." Kankuro shouted back. Naruto sighed he hated people like this, too much time on their hands with to much that they thought they had to prove.

Naruto looked them over again and took notice of the sand hitai-ate on the two. "Look." he said in a conversational tone. "Since you guys are from sand I take it your here for the Chunin exams." Naruto continued on not bothering to wait for the answer. "A word of advice, don't rock the boat right now, if you keep doing what your doing your going to cause an international incident." Naruto finished calmly.

The woman Temari looked a little worried at his statement but the black clad man Kankuro just either didn't listen or didn't care. "Yeah right, were gonna cause an international incident, you shit head." he said sarcastically. "No way in hell is that gonna happen all that's going to happen is me kicking your ass." He finished in a superior tone.

Naruto looked at him with boredom etched on his features. "Huh, did you say something." That odd shiver that felt like he had made someones day happened again, and he could swear he could hear Kakashi laughing like a madman in the distance. Kankuro's face contorted in rage.

"What the hell did you sat you little shit!" Kankuro yelled at him, Naruto smirked negotiations had broken down, well he had liked plan B more anyway.

"Kankuro!" Came the voice strangled voice of Temari from behind him. The young puppeteer ignored her in favor of giving a death glare to the blond in front of him. "Kankuro!" came the strangled voice again. The puppeteer ignored his sister again taking the package off his back and smirking at the kid in front of him, it was a smirk that promised pain. "KANKURO!" Temari screamed sounding desperate.

"What" he yelled back turning his head so he could see her and his breath caught in his throat. Temari was still there but, two copies of the blond around her, one holding her right arm the other her left and both had a kunai at Temari's throat. Kankuro turned back to the original blond only to see a blur moving forward.

Naruto reached the arm he was using to hold Konohamaru and threw a palm strike to the older teens elbow, hyper extending the ligament and rendering the arm useless for at least an hour. Naruto spun grabbing Konohamaru and jumping back to his original position. He put the slightly trembling Konohamaru on the ground and ruffled his hair. "You did good, Kon." Naruto said smiling at the small boy.

He turned his attention back to the sand duo. "Now then let's try this again." Naruto said in a low dangerous voice. "A word of advice, don't rock the boat or I will end you." Naruto accented his point by drawing Benihime and pointing her at Kankuro. "And tell your little buddy up in the tree to come down, no need to hide amongst friends after all." His last words were laced with sarcasm, Kanuko and Temari paled.

"Kankuro, your a disgrace to our village." Came the cold monotone voice from the tree, before a small sandstorm churned between Naruto and the sand duo. It subsided quickly to reveal a young man with short cut red hair and the kanji for love on his forehead. Naruto swallowed, every last part of his survival instincts were screaming at him to be careful, after all the kid was pumping out more bloodlust then Zabuza that alone unnerved him.

"But, Gaara, I was just." Kankuro tried to explain, Gaara just looked at him with bone chilling indifference.

"Kankuro, Shut up or I'll kill you." Gaara turned his attention over to Naruto. "I apologize for my teammates behavior, I hope it will not be a problem." He stated neutrally, Naruto could feel himself slowly adjusting to the killing intent the kid was pouring out. Normally he would be inclined to talk some more find out more about them, but right now he needed to get Kon out of here and fast.

"It wont be a problem, just please make sure he doesn't do it again please." Naruto answered politely he really needed to leave, now. He couldn't risk a fight with the red head, he would have a chance of winning if it was all three on him but he would be fighting to protect Kon at the same time, since that was the case he wouldn't last very long.

Gaara nodded to the blond. "Kankuro, Temari, we are leaving, Baki-sensei, wants to speak to us." He motioned them to leave as Naruto dispelled his clones. The red head stopped at the corner of the ally. "What is your name." He asked in the same monotone.

"Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto replied evenly. Gaara nodded before looking back at him.

"I hope to fight you in the Chunin exams, Uzumaki, mother wants your blood." Gaara disappeared in another sand storm. Naruto let out a shuddering breath he got the feeling that the entire encounter had gone dangerously close to becoming a blood bath, and that the odds of him coming out alive had been slim.

"You okay then, Kon?" He asked looking down to the child clutching his pants leg.

Konohamaru nodded. "Yes, nii-san, I'll be fine." He said drawing a shuddering breath, Naruto ruffled his hair and smiled.

"Now then, Kon, I would start running if I were you." Naruto said in a conversational tone. "Your skipping out on the academy and I am not being anywhere near you when, Iruka-sensei, catches you." The young boy looked up at him with big eyes. "You might want to try finding somewhere to hide." Naruto added.

In a blink Konohamaru was gone only a cloud of dust with a soft cry of. "Right, Naruto-nii-san." Hanging in the wind behind him. Naruto chuckled Kon really wasn't a bad kid by any stretch of the imagination, Kon reminded him of him before he had awakened Benihime.

_Flash Back Meeting Konohamaru_

_Naruto just looked at the Hokage blankly when he was told how much money he would be getting. He looked back at the payslip for five hundred thousand Ryo. "H-H-Half of this is mine?" He said sounding lightheaded the Hokage looked at him strangely for a second._

"_Naruto-kun." He said slowly. "Whats on that payslip IS your half." Naruto just looked at him dumbly __for a second, before a massive smile etched itself on his face._

"_Woo HOO, oh Kami dammit yes. Look at all those wonderful, wonderful zero's come to papa baby." He yelled running around the office wooting like a frat boy. The old Hokage chuckled, it had been a long time since he had seen Naruto so enthusiastic about something that wasn't ramen or Benihime._

"_Now then, Naruto-kun, there are a few other things that we need to talk about." He said sternly, Naruto turned his attention back to the Hokage._

"_Sure, Jiji, what did you want to talk about?" Naruto asked._

"_Naruto, in Wave you were forced to kill innocent people, I know that the academy gets you ready for killing but it is still never easy. Especially when you have to kill people that have nothing to do with your mission, but are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time." The Hokage finished sounding both so very, very tired and sad. "Would you like to talk about it, Naruto-kun."_

_Naruto looked at his Jiji with gratitude in his eyes. He didn't really need to talk about it, Benihime had helped to build his resolve, but the fact that the old man had asked warmed his heart. He smiled he would talk, mostly for the old mans peace of mind and for a little of his own. "Sure, Jiji, I would like that." He said in a warm voice, the aging Sarutobi was a little taken back, in that instant his voice had sounded exactly like Minato's._

_They spent the next hour going over what Naruto had done in Wave and how he had gotten over it. The old Hokage had joked that it was like Naruto had his own internal psychiatrist, Naruto had laughed at that and then laughed louder, when he heard Benihime grumbling about the comparison. They were distracted from their conversation when the door flew open. "Today's the I defeat you, old man." Came the overly young and childish voice. _

_Naruto stifled his laughter as he saw the small figure of an eight year old run into the room with a training kunai in hand. The scene itself was comedy GOLD he couldn't hold in his laughter anymore and started cackling hysterically on the couch. The child turned his attention to him and pouted, right before falling over and face planting onto the office floor. Naruto just laughed harder, the old Hokage sighed. "I see you have just met my grandson, Konohamaru, Naruto." He said sounding a little exasperated by the whole ordeal, Naruto just laughed louder. _

_The small boy looked up at Naruto sitting on the couch and laughing like a maniac and pouted while pointing at him. "You!" He yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Naruto. "You tripped me didn't you." Naruto managed to get his laughter back under control before smiling at the kid._

"_Sorry, that's one thing I can't take credit for, you just tripped over your own feet or maybe that scarf behind you. Word of advice kid don't go blaming other for your mistakes unless you can prove it was them." He said still chuckling._

"_No it was definitely you!" Konohamaru yelled and ran at the still seated Naruto pulling back his kunai. Naruto leaned back into the couch and grabbed Benihime from beside him, he needed to teach the kid a lesson now before he did something he would regret. Konohamaru's kunai went forward as Benihime was drawn and cut up, going straight through the training kunai and stopping just a few centimeters short of Konohamaru's eye._

"_You know kid, you might want to work on that temper of yours as well." Naruto sheathed Benihime and stood up. "See you later old man we'll have to talk again some time soon." He waved to the Hokage and looked back down at Konohamaru who was still looking at him with fear. "See you later, Konohamaru." He said giving the younger boy a quick and gentle bonk on the head as he walked out of the office. _

_End Flash Back._

Since then Konohamaru would turn up every now and then to talk, Naruto would occasionally help him with this Taijustsu or Ninjutsu. Naruto thought back to the Chunin exam form and jumped onto a nearby low roof, this was going to be fun.

**XXX**

Naruto yawned as he walked through the hallways of the academy, he really had hoped he wouldn't need to come back here. He sighed as he ascended the stairs to come out on the third floor at least he thought it was the third floor. Naruto looked around the hallway was packed with Genin but the doors entrance was being guarded, Naruto kept looking around then smiled, Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu, a Genjutsu used to fool an opponent into thinking the area was different to what it really was.

Naruto chuckled and slipped back into the stairwell and going up another floor, if you couldn't see through that Genjutsu then you shouldn't be at the exams. Naruto walked to the next landing to find a lounging Sasuke and Sakura waiting for him. "Yo, Naruto." Sasuke greeted, Naruto waved back.

"Ready?" Sakura asked sounding exited. Naruto and Sasuke both nodded to the pinkette smiling like madmen. The door to the third floor open and they were greeted by a smiling Kakashi.

"Yo, good to see your all here, just some last minute advice from your sensei." He said smiling. "Watch each others backs, a lot of the test will be about teamwork just remember that. Now then go forth and kickass." Kakashi finished dramatically eye smiling at his three students.

"Thanks, sensei." Came the reply from all of team seven as the door opened. They walked inside there were less people inside then they thought around sixty people or twenty teams worth. Naruto skipped over most of them his gaze coming to rest on the red headed form of Gaara. He was going to need to watch himself in the exam, he had been hoping that Gaara's team wouldn't make it past the Genjutsu down stairs. Looked like his luck wasn't that good, too bad.

What Naruto didn't notice was that he in turn was being observed by someone else, a Kumo ninja with blond hair going down to mid back was watching him. "Yugito, Yugito, you in there." Came the voice of her teammate and sister in all but blood Samui. The jinchūriki of the Nibi shook herself out of her stupor and refocused.

"I'm fine, Samui." She said reassuring the other blond. 'That kid there's something off about him.' She turned her thoughts back to the matter at hand the Chunin exams.

'Whats wrong kitten, he's not bad looking why not stake your claim right now? Then ride him till he makes you howl at the moon.'

'SHUT UP NIBI.' Was the internal response to her inner demons questioning, why did she have the misfortune to be the jinchūriki of the most perverted biju. Why couldn't she get the eight tails like Killer B had apparently the eight tails was pretty easy going, at lest she wouldn't have had to deal with the constant sexual suggestions.

A shrill shriek of "Sasuke-kun" was heard right before, Sasuke was grabbed from behind by Ino. Naruto facepalmed why, why him, why did he always get stuck having to listen to fan girls, it was times like this he could swear that Kami hated him for some reason or another.

"So were all here, huh, well you guys all made it too huh, damned troublesome." Naruto leaned against a nearby wall to take stock of who'd made it. Kiba, Shino, Hinata, Choji, Ino, Shikamaru, some wired guy in green spandex, a kid with eyes like Hinata's that looked like he had the worlds biggest stick up his ass and, Naruto's breath caught in his throat, Tenten.

He felt like laughing, Tenten, was an orphan just like him in fact they grew up in the same orphanage, right before the matron had kicked him out when he was four. When he had been kicked out she had tried to follow him, but he had made her walk in circles until the matron had found her and took her back. Still it did do him some good to see her doing well, he doubted she would remember him, but it might be some good physiological warfare ammo for later. He would need to fight her sometime while the exams were on, when they were kids he had protected her from bully's, he wondered how much she had improved.

Naruto stayed out of the conversations that were springing up from his old class mates, he got the feeling that he was going to have precious little time to relax once the exam started. "You know you guys are being way too loud right, it's not a good idea to draw attention to yourself like that." A bespectacled and silver haired Konoha Genin said in a kind voice, Naruto didn't like him something felt wrong about him, very, very wrong.

"And you are?" Sasuke inquired sounding a little interested in the new arrival.

"Ah, how rude of me my names, Kabuto, and as you can see I'm a leaf Genin just like you guys. As for why I said that well just take a look." Kabuto pointed around the room, most of it's occupants were glaring at the rookie nine, Naruto wouldn't have cared about that what he did care about was that some were releasing killing intent at them. Not much, he admitted, nowhere near Zabuza's or Gaara's standards but it was enough to piss him off.

Naruto smiled to himself. 'Ready to rock the boat a little, Hime?' He asked sounding more than a little amused.

Benihime laughed at her partners turn of phrase. 'You bet, Naruto-kun, give them hell for me.' She said in a cheerful tone. Naruto took a step forward and released his Reiatsu and let it flood the room, the result was instantaneous. Pressure pushed down on everyone inside making it difficult to breathe and sending some of the weaker Genin to their knees. Sasuke and Sakura turned around to face him. Everyone in the room could feel the strength that was pushing down on them, Naruto leaned back onto the wall and stopped his Reiatsu from crushing the people around him.

He looked back at the rookie nine, who were looking at him with something akin to awe in their eyes. "What?" He asked shrugging as if doing something like that was an everyday occurrence.

"Don't WHAT me." Kiba yelled. "What the hell was that and where the hell did you learn it?" Naruto looked at him strangely for a second.

Before grinning like a fox. "Well Kiba as for what that was..." He trailed off dramatically. "It's a secret." Naruto finished grinning happily, causing the rest including Kabuto to face fault. "And as for where I learned it, Benihime, taught me." He said quite simply still grinning like a madman.

Sakura cocked her head to the side. "Benihime?" She asked. "Isn't that the same person who taught you that Taijustu style?" Naruto nodded, his smile going down to a small far more genuine one.

"Yes she was the one who taught me the Hakuda, and if your very lucky or very unlucky I may even introduce you too her." Naruto finished cryptically before going back to tuning their questioning out.

**XXX**

The first test went by quickly after that although Naruto did like the mind game that Ibiki tried to play on the Genin class. He was cracking up on the inside after Ibiki was done the original around eighty teams were down to twenty four. Naruto stood up and applauded the man after they passed the tenth question, what he had done was physiological warfare at it's finest.

Then came Anko who told them that the next portion of the exam would be in the forest of death, Naruto had started laughing like a madman when he heard that. He couldn't have asked for a better battlefield for himself he knew the in's and out's better then any Genin in history when it came to training ground forty four. When he explained why he was laughing to Sasuke and Sakura they joined in, all three of them had turned up to the training ground looking like Christmas had come early.

The remainder of that day had passed quickly, a quick signature on the waver so he could enter into the forest, the Jonin that let them in telling him he hoped that Naruto died inside when his teammates were out of ear shot. Then things started to go wrong, a freak gust of wind pushed him away from both Sasuke and Sakura and right next to a giant snake. The snake really wasn't too much of a problem though, one well placed Ryodan killed it.

Once he had gotten back to his team his problems started, Sasuke was fighting some kind of ninja from Kusa. At least that's what he thought until the Kusa nin literally ripped off his own face to reveal Orochimaru of the sannin. Which is what left him in his current predicament standing over a heavily injured Sasuke who Orochimaru had bitten and infected with something.

**XXX**

Naruto was breathing heavily he was injured but nowhere near as badly as Sasuke was. "Sakura, take care of him." He yelled sprinting forward at Orochimaru, the pinkette was less hurt than he was but against a foe like Orochimaru she would have just been in his way. Naruto charged forward unleashing a barrage of shuriken, the snake sannin weaved through them like they weren't even there before nailing Naruto with a hard shot to the gut.

Naruto felt the breath leave his lungs as he flew backwards, this was insane the bastard wasn't even trying and he was still wiping the floor with them. He pointed his finger at the approaching sannin. **"Hado#4: Baykurai"** he yelled hoping the snake sannin would be taken off guard by the unknown attack. The Hado spell ripped straight through the snakes head, and Naruto sighed in relief before he noticed Orochimaru crumbling to mud. 'Dammit, clone!' He yelled in his head jumping away from the dead clone, this fight was ridiculous he hadn't even had time to draw Benihime let alone use her.

A pale hand coiled around his throat depriving him of oxygen. "What a strange little man you are, Naruto-kun." Came the perverse voice of the snake, Naruto looked into Orochimaru's golden eyes and shivered whatever used to be human there died a very long time ago. "Such interesting Jutsu I must have them, oh well with the sharingan they will be mine soon enough." The snake sannin smiled as he drew back his right hand and licked Naruto's face, Naruto looked at the glowing chakra on Orochimaru's hand and decided that he really didn't want to get hit by that. So he did the dumbest most stupid thing he could think of, he drew a kunai from the sheath in his coat pocket and cut off the front half of Orochimaru's tongue.

The snake sannin reeled back as his blood splattered onto Naruto's face, Orochimaru leaned forward and bit the Kyuubi jinchūriki on the neck injecting him with his curse before smiling perversely and melting back into the wood of the tree under him. Two excellent finds in one day now he was just way too lucky. The Uchiha would make for an excellent container and the jinchūriki would become one of his most valuable pawns, a very good day indeed. The last thing Naruto heard before he passed out was Sakura screaming his name and asking him to wake up.

The bite mark on is neck solidified until it was a roman numeral for 12 (ie. XII) a new cursed seal had been born.

**XXX**

Up in the trees above a woman with pale skin and black hair looked down on the aftermath of the battle a smirk on her face. **"Come on now, Naruto-kun, don't disappoint me now." **She gave an elegant laugh, then disappeared like she had never existed to begin with. 

**XXX**

Naruto woke up feeling like he had just been hit by a Biju. "What happened to me." He asked, not really expecting to hear and answer. Instead cruel laughter reached his ears.

"**What happened?" **Came the mocking voice. **"You got your sorry ass kicked, King, that's what fucking happened you retard." **Naruto's head whipped up and his breath caught in his throat and exact copy of him was looking down on him. But everything about him was reversed, where as he had blond hair his counter part had black, his clothing was exactly the same as Naruto's just reversed in colour and his eyes as opposed to Naruto's soothing blue his were a deep pulsating red.

Naruto jumped to his feetlooking at his double. "Who the hell are you?" He asked sounding more than a little off balance. The other him smiled and drew Benihime off his back.

"**Who am I"** He mocked. **"Isn't that obvious, King, I. AM. YOU."** His doppelganger yelled charging Benihime leading the way, Naruto drew his own Benihime and met the charge head on swords clashing together. Both forced against the other in locked combat. Naruto pointed his finger at the other him. **"Hado#4: Baykurai." **The pale white him leaned backwards and smiled holding it's left palm up at him.

"**Hadō #31: ****Shakkahō"** Naruto cursed the red orb flying over his head and closed on his double again. "Where the hell did you learn that." He yelled, his doppelganger smiled at him.

"**You really are thick ain't you, King, I learned it the same time you did." **The double bought his blade back down breaking down Naruto's guard and cutting him from right shoulder to right hip.

Naruto cursed jumping backwards. "Okiro, Benihime." He yelled forming his Shikai. The doppelganger laughed.

"**I can do that to you know." **He laughed his voice sending shivers up Naruto's spine. **"Okiro, Benihime." **His doubles sword changed a reverse Benihime just the same as he was a reversed Naruto. The other him, the dark him, charged bringing the Shikai state sword down on Naruto's head, Naruto brought Benihime over his head in a desperate block, the power behind the slash was insane almost breaking his guard for the second time that fight. 

"**What's wrong, King? We are supposed to be equals you know." **The other him, taunted before smiling again. **"But were not equal not anymore, I gotta thank that, Orochimaru, guy he gave me the power to over come you, the power to become the king. **Black markings that looked like flames began to move over his skin, Naruto could feel the difference in power it was overwhelming.

'So your just going to give up then, I thought your resolve was stronger than that.' Came the melodious voice from all around him. Naruto took another couple of deep breaths before putting Benihime over his head in the stance for the **Ryodan **he took as deep breath and put his Reiryouku into his blade.

'Push more in, I need more and more and more. Focus everything you have and create an attack that can crush any enemy that will stand in your way.' Red light began to gather around his blade, **"Ready or not here I come."** His dark half yelled charging forward, Naruto took a deep breath and swung down.

He yelled the attacks name seemingly coming from within him. **"Nake, Benihime." **His blade came down cutting through his dark half, sword and all. He felt his dark half's power retreating the other him looked up. Smiling even as blood poured out of his wounds.

"**Well would you look at that, it seems like you ain't complete waste after all, King." **His doppelganger reached up and grabbed his collar.** "Just remember one thing, I may have been brought out by that cursed seal, Orochimaru, gave you but I am still part of you. If you really want to know what power is, Then don't die before I show up again, see you soon, King." **The dark him's laughter faded and Naruto fell back into darkness.

**XXX**

In the outside world Naruto's curse mark pulsated once before twisting and then fading away, just as if he had never received it.

**XXX**

Naruto woke to the sound of dripping and looked up, he was laying in a sewer, what the hell was he doing in a sewer. **"So your finally awake are you? You pathetic Ningen." **He sat up, that voice like liquid malice, he had heard it before, and came face to face with a massive gate the kanji for seal in the middle of it. Two glowing red eyes and a mouth of razor sharp teeth locked in some sick parody of a grin, looking down on him. **"So your my jail and my jailor, I expected more."**

"Shut up fur ball." Naruto shot back sounding indigent, okay insulting the most powerful Biju in existence was most probably NOT a good idea but Naruto had a long day. Fought down his dark side and fought against Orochimaru, he was not in a good mood.

To his surprise the giant fox laughed. **"So my jail has more guts than most pitiful Ningen's, so tell me why exactly did I have to use five tails of my power to keep you alive?" **The fox sounded both amused by the situation and very annoyed by it.

"Some guy called, Orochimaru, gave me something called a cursed seal I don't know what it did to me but I had to fight my dark half in combat." Naruto answered cautiously, he didn't want to antagonize the Biju, well not anymore than he already had, so he was polite with his answer.

The cocked it's head to the side as if debating something. Before smiling even wider, that alone unnerved Naruto. **"Well then Ningen thank you for the information in exchange I'll tell you something good, I have healed your body but no pitiful Ningen like you could with stand five tails of my power and stay the same. You would have had to have been trained in my powers use, for my power not to affect you in some way."**

Naruto's mouth hung open. "What did you do to me, am I a demon now or something what the hell did you do to me!" He yelled up at the smiling fox.

"**Your no demon, though that would be an improvement." **The fox admitted. **"No your body can just handle more of my chakra now and you will have increased reserves for your own. What ever that, Orochimaru, did to you affected your cells so your healing factor should have increased as well." **The fox's grin widened if that was even possible. **"That is a good thing after all I cant have a weak container now can I. Now get out little Ningen we will talk again when I can stomach the site of you." **Naruto was pushed out of his mind scape.

**XXX**

Naruto woke to the sounds of battle, he looked to his left Sasuke was still lying next to him sweating in his sleep. Naruto stood and drew Benihime, walking outside of the hollow in the tree. "Now then let's go and greet out guests shall we." He muttered to himself, he saw Sakura dodging attacks from a sound Genin. Naruto was in no mood to play around, the Genin was firing attacks through his arms, air blasts, he noted from the look of them.

Naruto ran forward, Benihime stabbing out, he could see the teens allies eyes widening in horror, right before Benihime passed through the teens spine and out the front of his throat. "You okay, Sakura" he called out casually flicking the blood off Benihime's blade, the pinkette jumped and landed next to him.

"About damn time your lazy ass woke up." She said with a smile, Naruto shrugged back at her.

"I was sleepy, so sue me." He said, before looking back to the two remaining sound Genin. "Anyone you want in particular." Naruto asked sounding bored, Sakura didn't bother answering and settled for just charging Kin, Naruto sighed. "Guess that leaves you and me, eh mummy man." He said to the bandage wrapped Sound Genin.

Naruto wasn't really in the mood to play around, too much had happened in too little time for him to bother playing around with the sound Genin. Benihime came back over his head, Dosu charged, Naruto smirked. **"Ryodan" **He yelled bringing Benihime down and bisecting the charging Genin, blood and guts flew and coated the ground, Naruto just walked forward until he reached the corpse he had just made, searching the pockets.

"Jackpot." He yelled smiling, the sound team had the earth scroll, tower here they come. He heard Sakura land behind him.

"I didn't know you could do that" The pinkette said sounding surprised, Naruto shrugged pocketing the scroll.

"The Ryodan is one of my own personal techniques, so no one else can use it at least not unless I teach them how." Naruto admitted, before yawning and turning to the north. "I'll have some shadow clones carry, Sasuke, so lets get going." Sakura nodded to him and they both started to move. A pair of shadow clones carrying Sasuke for them

**XXX**

The journey to the tower was a nonevent as far as Naruto was concerned nothing happened on the way there. No traps, no ambushes, not even one giant spider. 'Benihime, Hime-chan, are you there.' He asked through their mental link.

'I am, Naruto-kun, what would you like to talk about.' Naruto pushed off another branch, before answering.

'That attack I used against the other me what was it?' Benihime laughed, her laughter sounded relieved.

'I'm glad that you finally unlocked one of my ability's, Naruto-kun, I was starting to wonder if you ever would.' The crimson princess teased.

'Wait, unlocked ability's, ability's as in plural!' Naruto shouted back.

He could hear Benihime laughing at him again. 'Yes, ability's as in plural, meaning more than one, Naruto-kun, in total I have seven different ability's. You have actually used that one more than a few times, it's kind of like a quicker and more powerful version of the Ryodan. But unlike the Ryodan it can only be used in my Shikai state.' The crimson princess giggled.

Naruto almost missed jumping off the next branch, Benihime had seven different ability's SEVEN that was mind blowing. 'Can you teach me them.' Naruto asked still slightly dazed from the revelation.

'Nope.' Benihime said not sounding even the slightest bit sorry. This time Naruto really did miss landing on a branch, it was pure dumb luck that he hit another branch beneath the one he was aiming for and pushed back off.

'But why not.' Naruto whined, sounding more than a little pitiful.

'Naruto-kun.' Benihime said sounding sad. 'I want you to grow stronger and stronger, but I can't afford to be your crutch, you will use my ability's unconsciously at one point or another. When you do, start trying to figure out how to do them consciously so you can use them at any time. When you figure that out I will tell you there names, just like with Zanpaktou between knowing the name and not knowing it the attack power it generates differs. Finally when you know those two thing's I will help you refine the attack until you can use it almost with out thought, I want to help you, Naruto-kun, but in order for you to be truly strong I can't hand you everything on a silver platter.' The crimson princess finished sounding a little sad.

Naruto sighed, he agreed with what Benihime was saying didn't make it any easier to swallow though. 'That's fine then, Hime, thanks for helping me.' The crimson princess laughed.

'No problem, Naruto-kun, that's what I'm here for after all. Oh by the way the name of that attack is, Nake, Benihime.' The crimson princess said, Naruto could tell she was smiling.

'Nake, sing huh.' Naruto looked around it was dull and boring. 'Speaking of singing, Benihime, would you mind singing something for me.'

'Sure, Naruto-kun.' Benihime sounded content when she said that, as she started to hum a tune. 'Every breath you take,And every move you make, Every bond you break, Every step you take, I'll be watching you.' Naruto just let his body sway to the music as he jumped forward towards the tower.

**XXX**

The remainder of the trip was uneventful, hell even their arrival was uneventful. Iruka just told them some riddle and then they were told to rest for a day before they would have to meet in the auditorium further inside the building. On the bright side though they did take Sasuke away to seal off his cursed seal, when Sakura asked him if he had one to, Naruto had just showed her his unblemished flesh and shrugged it off. Thankfully she had bought it and left the subject alone after that he really didn't feel comfortable talking about the dark him to anyone, but Benihime.

Naruto yawned as he stood in line and looked around. 'Okay who's left, Ten-chans team, some Kumo shinobi, Kiba's team, Sikamaru's team, Kabuto and, fuck, Gaara.' Naruto sighed though he did suppose it had been a little too much to hope that Gaara would fail the second half. He looked back quickly to Sasuke, he looked fine but he was still worried.

"First off on passing the second exam congratulations." Anko said walking in front of the assembled Genin. She saw Sakura and felt pride well up in her, it was her proteges first time in the forest and Sakura had come out of it no worse for wear by the looks of it. 'Hmmm, so there's twenty one people left, when I said I would cut them down I was thinking single digits.' she mused.

The front of the small auditorium they were in was quickly covered in smoke before it cleared to reveal every teams Jonin sensei along with some extra's. With the Hokage no less, not that Naruto didn't love his Jiji but it felt even better seeing Yugao amongst the assembled Jonin. Gai turned to Kakashi. "So your team made it through eh, Kakashi." He said his teeth shining bright. "But this is as far as they go my team has more than enough, youthful flames to defeat them." Gai finished giving his signature nice guy pose.

Kakashi for his part just looked at Gai uninterestedly for a second. "Huh, you say something, Gai?" he asked sounding genuinely confused.

"DAMN YOU KAKASHI AND YOUR HIP ATTITUDE MY RIVAL." Gai screamed to the heavens, the assembled Jonin and Genin just tried to tune him out.

"Hokage-sama, will now explain the rules for the third test please listen closely." Anko yelled out over the assembly of people. The old Hokage stepped forward smiling at the crowed of Genin before him.

"Thank you, Anko." The old Hokage said in a tired voice. "Before I explain the rules for the third test I would like to tell you all something, the real reason behind the Chunin exams. Why do we have the exam with members from rival villages, to promote friendship and raise the level of ninja are both good reasons, they are also a lie." The Hokage said looking at each and every Genin, most of who looked taken aback by his remark.

"The real reason for this is exam is as a replacement for war amongst the allied country's." Naruto nodded he hadn't thought of it like that, but it did make sense. "Rather than wasteful fighting the country's agreed that a competition would suffice that is the origin of the Chunin exams. You will fight while risking your lives for your country's prestige, many, many influential people will be coming to watch you compete. Your fights will be like markers to the masses saying this is our strength, this is the strength of our village."

The old Hokage sighed. "If you fight well then your villages missions will increase because of your performance, if you fight poorly they will decrease. Always remember in this exam you are not just fighting for your honor but the honor of your village and sensei's." The old Hokage's speech elicited a Yes Sir from every Genin bar Gaara. "You will all be risking your lives because a shinobi's true strength can only be born in a life threatening battle."

"Enough." Came the monotone voice of Gaara. "Just hurry up and tell us what such a life and death battle will entail." Naruto could swear that Gaara sounded enthusiastic, how he picked that up out of Gaara's monotone he didn't know, but he could tell.

"Fair enough." The Hokage acknowledged. "Then let me explain the rules of the third exam."

"Actually, Hokage-sama, would you mind if I did that as the referee for the third stage." Came the voice of a Jonin from the side of the field. The Hokage looked at him for a second before nodding and walking back to his place. "Now then." The man said turning around to face the group, the first thing Naruto noticed was that the man looked incredibly sickly.

"My name is, Gekkō Hayate, and I will be your referee for the third round. We do however have to go through a series of preliminary rounds first, to be honest there are too many of you we need to cut the group down. Is there anybody who wishes to forfeit and withdraw from this exam." A hand went up at the back of the room.

"ah,ah, proctor-san, I'll be quitting now." Said a silver haired Genin, Naruto shot him a quick look and his mouth tightened in a frown something wasn't right here.

"I see your, Kabuto-kun, right well then your free to go." The smiling silver haired Genin departed. "Is there anyone else, no well then let the preliminary matches begin."

**XXX**

The matches were decided by a large electronic board hidden behind a rock wall at the back of the auditorium turned arena. Most of the matches weren't that interesting from Naruto's point of view anyway.

Round one had been Sasuke vs Akado Yoroi, the match had honestly been a disappointment it had taken all of three minutes. Yoroi would run in and try to use his chakra stealing hand to drain Sasuke dry, Sasuke countered by using his sharingan to predict Yoroi's movements and then hitting him in the throat. Match over, Naruto called it a disappointment Sasuke and Sakura agreed.

Next up was Sakura vs Ino, this one was even worse, it lasted exactly one minute five seconds. Ino was put down when she tried to trash talk in the middle of the fight, while still in Sakura's range. Sakura hit her with a clean right straight to the jaw and knocked her out cold. Sakura just looked at Anko. "It was a love tap, how was I supposed to know she had the chin of a five year old narcolepsy patient."

Followed by Shino vs Samui, it was short to say the least the blond caught Shino in a lightning prison jutsu and forced him to give up, Naruto felt a little sorry for the bug user.

Naruto was starting to get bored by this point. "Next match Sabaku no Gaara vs Inuzuka Kiba" This one match surprised Naruto as Kiba gave up without even fighting, Naruto was right there was something up with Gaara.

Tenmai vs Kankuro was quick the moment they stepped out onto the floor, Temari used a wind scythe attack to cut Kankuro up and make him surrender.

Hinata vs Misumi was the biggest mismatch of the century, the guys only mode of attack was his ability to use his chakra to dislocate and relocate his joints. Against a Hyuga like Hinata and the gentle fist style Misumi got dropped like a bad habit.

Lee vs Choji was over so fast Naruto was wondering what the hell had happened, the moment that Hayate said go Lee was already in front of Choji. A quick kick to the chin followed by half a dozen body shot, the match was over before Choji knew what had hit him.

Yugito vs Shikamaru was only slightly longer, the Kumo Kunoichi had Shikamaru on the run with Katon jutsu for half the match, then forced the Nara to give up when she backed him into a corner.

Neji vs Karui, the match as a whole sickened Naruto, Neji went off on a rant about how it was Kumo's fate to be killed by him for their crimes starting with the girl in front of him. It reminded Naruto, to much of himself and the way Konoha treated him. Neji was treating Karui like she had done what ever he was so pissed off about, rather than her superiors who were likely the ones that ordered the whole thing.

When, Neji went for a killing strike on Karui both Gai and Naruto saw fit to intervene. Gai by stopping the attack and Naruto by placing a sealed Benihime to Neji's throat and threatening to cut his head off if he made another move. Neji just told him his action's were typical of someone who was used to looking down on others, Naruto had damn near cut his head off for that remark. It was only an unusually stern Gai telling Neji to be quite and think before he spoke that saved the white eyed boys life.

Naruto smiled when he saw his name and Tenten's come up, well at least he wouldn't have to wait to test out her skills.

**XXX**

Time itself seemed to stop as a woman with black hair, nails and eyes and pale white skin looked down at the room. **"Good luck, Naruto-kun, this is just a little reward for passing my test earlier, enjoy it won't you, Naru-chan." **Time seemed to start again no one noticing that the woman was gone or that she was even there to start with.

**XXX**

Tenten smirked at her opponent she didn't know him but judging by the katana on his back he was a weapon user, that suited her just fine in a battle of weapon user's she would always win. Tenten smiled viciously rubbing some blood on a storage scroll and taking out her own katana it's blade glistening a silvery blue in the light.

"You might just want to give up." Tenten advised Naruto. "I'm guessing that katana on your back is your main weapon right, if so then give up no one has a chance against me when it comes to weapons." The bun haired girl finished smugly.

Hayate interrupted and the bout of pre-fight trash talk that was about to happen was killed prematurely. "Are you both ready." He asked he wanted to finish this up already and go and spend some quality time with Yugao. But he also wanted to see this match and badly two aspiring sword users one of which was trained by Yugao. Naruto and Tenten nodded. "Hajime." Hayate yelled jumping backwards.

Tenten charged forward while Naruto just waited, her blade came down, Benihime came up and deflected her Naruto leaned in close to Tenten's side and pivoted slamming his palm against her ribs. **"Tesshō" **Naruto yelled, Tenten was thrown across the arena like a rag doll, limbs splayed out in mid air though Naruto did note she managed to keep a hold of her sword.

Most of the audience were speechless, Naruto was supposed to be the dead last of his academy year and he manages to land what could well be a decisive hit on what was supposedly the best Genin Kunoichi in the leaf village. Naruto just sighed, she didn't remember him, he would be lying if he said he wasn't a little hurt, but at least she had gotten stronger.

He saw Tenten pick herself up from the ground. "Well, well, well." Naruto said sounding a little surprised. "You really have gotten a little better eh, Ten-chan, so tell me, how you've been these last eight years?" Tenten looked at him in disbelief.

"What the hell are you talking about I don't know you." She yelled back, charging in, Naruto brought them into a sword lock both edges smashing hard enough against the other to draw sparks. Tenten smiled and Naruto cursed as he jumped backwards avoiding the brunt of the force of the kunai she had hidden in her left hand as it cut across his belly.

**XXX**

Gai smirked at Kakashi. "Your student is good my eternal rival and his flames of youth burn brightly. But, Tenten, is a weapon mistress who can not be beaten her flames of youth when it comes to weapons burn brighter than anyone else." Gai finished smugly.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Gai." Kakashi said in a conversational tone. "Naruto, hasn't pulled out all the stops yet, so I don't think it's over just yet." They turned their attention back to the fight.

**XXX**

"Nice job, Ten-chan, you really have gotten better your making me feel so proud." Naruto said wiping a fake tear from his eye.

"I've already told you I don't know you." Tenten yelled back sounding annoyed.

"No you do." Naruto said softly. "You just don't remember me, no need to worry though I'll be drawing those memory's back to the surface soon enough." Naruto charged forward Benihime leading the way Tenten caught the blade with her own and took most of the force out of his attack. What she missed was Naruto's foot coming up at the same time as the attack hit, she found out less than half a second later when it impacted with her sternum forcing her back and driving the air out of her.

"Need a hand up, Ten-chan?" Naruto asked in a sing song voice. A memory overlapped with Tenten's vision. A young boy maybe four putting his hand out to her blond hair waving in the sun, blue eyes so full of life, after he drove off some of the bully's bothering her. "Need a hand up, Ten-chan" The boy said in a sing song voice.

Tenten just looked at the teen in front of her like he was an illusion about to vanish. "Naru-chan?" She asked voice trembling, Naruto smiled at her, he hated that nickname but he could put up with it from two people her and Yugao.

"In the flesh, Ten-chan, we'll talk later now's not really the time." Naruto put Benihime into an attacking position. "Careful, Ten-chan." He warned. "Don't lose your focus now." Naruto charged, Benihime swung down, left and right, in short order Tenten's body quickly gaining a multitude of small cuts. Naruto jumped backwards and smiled at her.

"Come on now, Ten-chan, don't disappoint me now." Tenten grimaced he was more capable than she had originally given him credit for. Tenten pulled out a pair of scrolls and unsealed the contents, a pair of Fu Tao. (For a visual representation go to google and type in Chinese hook sword.) She took a new stance.

Naruto charged again, Tenten's Fu Tao hooked over Benihime's blade and yanked him to the side almost making him drop his partner. Naruto let himself go with the movement and almost ended up being skewered by the other sword. Naruto threw himself to the ground and rolled out of the weapon mistresses way. That had been way too close. "I'm guessing they are your best weapon right, Ten-chan." Trying to sound as casual as possible.

Tenten nodded. "Yep these are my Fu Tao my best weapons and my favorite sorry, Naru-chan, but you wont be going on to the next round. We will however be talking about why you never came back and why you never visited me." Tenten finished with venom.

Naruto, paled a little before smiling at the girl in front of him, she really had come a long way from the little girl he used to protect from bully's. Naruto held Benihime away from him. "Well if your going to give your best I guess I should give mine." Naruto gave a bloodthirsty smile. "Try not to die now, Ten-chan." Naruto charged again bring Benihime down, Tenten's Fu Tao came up hooking over Benihime's blade. Naruto smiled he had been waiting for his. **"Bakudō#4: ********Hainawa"**The yellow energy rope coiled around Tentens arms restricting her movement.

"Wha-" Was as far as she got, Naruto threw Benihime into the air. "Sorry, Ten-chan, but it's over." He said smiling and pulling back both fists. His Reiryouku surged, they had clashed with weapons, but Naruto chose to end it with Hakuda. After all no point in giving the competition more than necessary. **"Sandobaggu Bīto" **The attack unleashed a flurry of punches each one containing the force of a Tesshō strike, Tenten couldn't even get her hands up to guard. Though Naruto did avoid hitting anywhere that could cause permanent damage.

The bun haired weapons mistress went down hard, Naruto looked down at the woman. "You did good, Ten-chan, you did good." Though no one could see it the unconscious girl had a small smile on her face at that comment.

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto." Hayate said raising his hand, Naruto smiled all in all this was turning into quite the good day. He got to fight Ten-chan, the person who one could argue was his only childhood friend, even if they hadn't seen each other in eight years. Though he was trying to ignore the constant screaming about youth coming from behind him.

**XXX**

The world seemed to slow down, time stopping completely. The black haired woman walked forward and smiled one pale hand reaching out to cup Naruto's cheek. **I hope you enjoyed my present, Naruto-kun." **She said smiling before leaning in and kissing him, the woman leaned back and looked at Naruto's neck a strange seal formed briefly in the shape of a spiral before disappearing. **"I hope you enjoy your new gift, Naruto-kun, don't disappoint me now." **

The woman walked away, hips swaying though no one could see her, before shining and disappearing like she had never existed to begin with.

**XXX**

The final matches were scheduled for a month, Naruto sighed and looked at the board again.

Round One: Samui vs Rock Lee

Round Two: Uchiha Sasuke vs Hyuga Neji

Round Three: Haruno Sakura vs Hyuga Hinata

Round Four: Nii Yugito vs Uzumaki Naruto

Round Five was supposed to be Gaara vs Temari but the wind user forfeited as soon as Gaara's name was called. Naruto was more than a little suspicious of why she dropped out but didn't bother to confront Temari, he had his own problems.

Naruto looked at the board one more time, oh yes this month was going to be fun.

**Chapter Four End.**


End file.
